HC Deb 11 December 1980 vol 995 c485W
Sir Albert Costain

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing (a) external public debts, including long-term post-war debts, and (b) the United Kingdom's foreign currency reserves, in each year from 1973 to the latest available date (i) at current prices and (ii) in relation to the level of our overseas trade.

Mr. Lawson

The figures are given in the following table:

United Kingdom reserves and official debt in relation to United Kingdom imports
End years Reserves Debt Reserves Debt
($billions) 1 months imports 1 months imports
1973 6.5 8.0 1.9 2.4
1974 6.8 13.2 1.5 3.0
1975 5.4 15.0 1.3 3.7
1976 4.1 19.2 0.9 4.3
1977 20.6 25.2 4.2 5.1
1978 15.7 23.3 2.6 3.8
1979 22.7 21.1 2.7 2.5
End October 1980 28.0 18.8 3.3 2.2