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Gold And Foreign Currency Reserves

Volume 974: debated on Sunday 11 November 1979

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asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, following his answer of 13 November on the change in the gold and foreign currency reserves, he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the reserves change net of public borrowing for each month from January 1976 together with the minimum lending rate, the index of the effective exchange rate, the index of relative export prices for manufactures, and the terms of trade for manufactures, all except minimum lending rate expressed as a percentage of the corresponding average in the first half of 1974.

For the reserves change, net of public sector borrowings and repayments, on a monthly basis since January 1976 I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on 13 November.—[Vol. 973, c. 540–42.] The minimum lending rate and index of the effective exchange rate for the period requested by the hon. Member are set out in tables 13.11 and 13.4 respectively of the Central Statistical Office publication "Financial Statistics". Data for the index of relative export prices for manufactures are not available on a monthly basis. Figures are available on a quarterly basis and are set out in table B23 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", published by the Departments of Industry and Trade. Data for the terms of trade for manufactures are also not available on a monthly basis. Such information as is available was set out in the answer given to the hon. Member by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade on 16 November.—[Vol. 973. c. 839–41.] The percentage calculations requested could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.