HC Deb 13 April 2000 vol 348 cc264-5W
Mr. Sanders

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the reduction in public debt interest payments resulting from a(a) 2 per cent., (b) 3 per cent., (c) 4 per cent. and (d) 5 per cent reduction in interest rates over a period of three years. [118096]

Mr. Andrew Smith

Because of the wider economic consequences of such large interest rate movements, the impact on inflation and Government borrowing would give rise to indirect changes to debt interest payments which are difficult to predict both in magnitude and direction.