HC Deb 24 October 1978 vol 955 cc945-7W
Mr. Lawson

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many former United Kingdom residents, other than repatriates, have had sterling funds blocked under section 40 of the Exchange Control Act 1947 on their emigration to countries outside the Scheduled Territories in 1977 and

1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
EEC:
Emigrants 2,011 1,920 2,313 842 *
Amounts restricted (£000) 17,008 30,333 22,436 28,542 23,669
Rest of Western Europe:
Emigrants 1,732 1,598 1,729 695 *
Amounts restricted (£000) 30,408 24,999 40,160 23,092 19,932
North America:
Emigrants 5,775 8,451 10,609 2,968 *
Amounts restricted (£000) 12,785 20,607 26,990 38,171 33,563
Rest of Non-Sterling Area:
Emigrants 803 617 733 410 *
Amounts restricted (£000) 3,607 8,523 7,850 18,153 8,479
Australia:
Emigrants 10,247 11,597 7,756 604 *
Amounts restricted (£000) 4,813 9,552 4,228 8,628 8,870
New Zealand:
Emigrants 4,876 5,873 4,050 276 *
Amounts restricted (£000) 4,828 6,188 3,354 5,114 4,497
South Africa:
Emigrants 2,102 3,202 5,702 523 *
Amounts restricted (£000) 2,105 3,929 5,602 7,130 2,967
Rest of Overseas Sterling Area:
Emigrants 1,786 2,035 2,274 407 *
Amounts restricted (£000) 5,676 9,907 9,768 7,793 11,943
* Not available.

general Government expenditure is the closest to the British concept of public expenditure.

in each of the previous four years; to which countries they emigrated, giving approximate numbers in each case; and what was the total value of funds blocked, indicating the amounts to each host country, respectively.

Mr. Robert Sheldon

Following is the available information:

Any further breakdown of the information in this table is obtainable only at the cost of disproportionate time and effort.

These restrictions apply for four years, during which assets may, with permission, be transferred through the investment currency market. The available figures do not reflect such transfers nor accelerated releases allowed following increases in limits in October 1977 and, for the EEC, from 1st January 1978.