§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the present metal compositions of the United Kingdom gold, silver, cupronickel and bronze coins; what is the proposed composition of the £1 coin to be issued in 1983; and what plans he has to chang these.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneIn accordance with the Coinage Act 1971 the standard metal composition of United Kingdom coin is:
Coin Composition Gold Eleven-twelfths fine gold, one-twelfth alloy. Silver coins of the Queen's Maundy Money Thirty-seven fortieths fine silver, three-fortieths alloy Cupro-nickel Three-quarters copper, one-quarter nickel. Bronze Mixed metal: copper, tin and zinc In accordance with the Royal Proclamations dated 11 February 1982 the standard metal compositions of the 20p and £1 coin is:
Coin Composition 20p Eighty four per cent. copper and sixteen per cent. nickel £1 Seventy per cent. copper, five and one-half per cent. nickel and twenty-four and one-half percent, zinc. There are at present no plans to alter these although the matter is under review.