Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the effect of the interchangeability of United Kingdom currency and the currency of the Irish Republic in Northern Ireland, and by 152W what amount the trade figures of the United Kingdom suffer, or benefit from what is, in effect, a common currency in that part of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Denzil Davies, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 12 March 1979], gave the following information:
The interchangeability of the Irish pound and the pound sterling probably facilitates trade between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland: but it is not possible to estimate the effect on the balance of trade between the two countries.