To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) millionaires and (b) billionaires there are in the UK; and how many there were of each in (i) 2002 and (ii) 1997 in (A) cash and (B) 2007 prices. (167234)

We estimate that in the year 2002 there were 250,000 millionaires in the United Kingdom.

The corresponding figure for 1997 is not available. No estimate exists for the number of billionaires.