asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many bank notes of each variety and how many coins of each variety are in circulation at the present time; and how these figures compare with 1938.

Up to date figures for Bank of England notes in circulation are now being prepared and will appear in the Bank of England report for the year ended 28th February, 1952, which will be published in due course. Figures for the years ended 28th February, 1939, and 28th February, 1951, appear in the Bank of England Report for the year ended 28th February, 1951, which was published as Command 8317.As regards coins, the following table shows the estimated number of coins issued, less withdrawals, as at 31st December, 1951, for silver, cupro-nickel and nickel brass coins of the various denominations:

—	31st December, 1938	31st December,1951
	Million pieces	Million pieces
Half-crowns	194·5	414
Florins	190	454
Shillings	251	529
Sixpences	322	666
Threepences (silver)	88	92
Threepences (nickel brass)	60	450

For bronze coins the value of issues, less withdrawals, was £10.5 million on 31st December, 1938, and £13.5 million on 31st December, 1951.All these figures include a quantity, incapable of exact calculation, of coins lost, destroyed or taken out of the country.