§ Mr. ButcherTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 4 November,Official Report, column 544, what proportion of British gold reserves are held outside the United Kingdom; and what proportion of the externally located gold reserves are held in western Europe. [3830]
§ Mrs. Angela KnightI refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 6 November,Official Report, column 544. Because the number of appropriate locations is limited, for security reasons we do not disclose the amounts held at different sites. However, less than half the UK's gold reserves are physically located outside the United Kingdom. Of this, less than 1 per cent. of the total is located in western Europe.