Written question asked by Christopher Chope (Conservative) on Thursday, 25 November 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 2 December 1999. It was answered by Andrew Smith (Labour) on Thursday, 2 December 1999 on behalf of the Treasury.

Treasury

Question: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the instances in which sums required for fulfilling guarantees made by the Government were charged on and issued out of the Consolidated Fund in each of the last five years. - Inc fact that information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Answer: Mr. Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the instances in which sums required for fulfilling guarantees made by the Government were charged on and issued out of the Consolidated Fund in each of the last five years. [100745] Mr. Andrew Smith: Such sums are normally paid out of voted moneys. While Departments are advised that they should consider whether an immediate statement should be made to Parliament in respect of a maturing contingent liability of this kind, information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. There have been no payments under guarantees charged by statute directly on the Consolidated Fund in the last five years.

Secondary information