§ Mr. John Browneasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will undertake the regular publication of 5W current estimates of contingent liabilities for the repayment of principal and interest on Government index-linked gilt-edged securities.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneThe figures for the national debt, published in the May edition ofFinancial Statistics, provide historical information on the value of indexed gilts outstanding at the end of each financial year including accumulated uplift. Information was also given on the value outstanding of index-linked National Savings Certificates. For the future, information was given in reply to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Wainwright)—[19 April, c. 13]—on the estimated proportion of total debt interest given in the public expenditure White Paper which was attributable to the cost of servicing indexed gilts and National Savings Certificates taken together. The figures, which include both coupon interest and capital uplift, are:
Total gross debt interest Of which cost of servicing indexed assets £ million £ million 1981–82 14,400 600 1982–83 15,500 1,100 1983–84 16,000 1,200 1984–85 16,500 1,400 It is proposed to update this information in future public expenditure White Papers.