To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax write-off British banks have been allowed against expected non-repayment of third-world debt.

Estimates of the reduction in mainstream corporation tax receipts for provisions on doubtful sovereign debt are negligible for the years to 1985–86 inclusive, about £70 million for 1986–87, about £ ¼ billion for 1987–88, over £ ½ billion for 1988–89 and about £ ⅓ billion for 1989–90.