Oral Answers to Questions — National Finance – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 18 February 1954.
Mr Marcus Lipton
, Lambeth Brixton
12:00,
18 February 1954
asked the Chancellor of the exchequer whether, in view of the unsatisfied public demand for crown pieces, more of these coins will be minted.
Mr John Boyd-Carpenter
, Kingston upon Thames
Power to strike Coronation crown pieces lapsed on 31st December last. By that date all outstanding demands from the banks had been satisfied. A small surplus of a few thousand crown pieces is available at the Mint for issue to banks if asked for.
Mr Marcus Lipton
, Lambeth Brixton
Is the Financial Secretary aware that inadequate supplies of crown pieces, as well as of the proof sets of Coronation coinage, have presented dealers with a black market bonus? Would it not be worth while for the Mint to make some money instead of making farthings which cost a halfpenny each to produce?
Mr John Boyd-Carpenter
, Kingston upon Thames
Had the hon. and gallant Member listened to my answer, he would have appreciated that anyone who made a black market bargain in these circumstances was singularly unwise, in as much as the Mint still has several thousand of these pieces available for anyone who likes to ask for them.
Mr Edward Evans
, Lowestoft
Is the Financial Secretary aware that there is an unsatisfied demand for most coinage today?
The chancellor of the exchequer is the government's chief financial minister and as such is responsible for raising government revenue through taxation or borrowing and for controlling overall government spending.
The chancellor's plans for the economy are delivered to the House of Commons every year in the Budget speech.
The chancellor is the most senior figure at the Treasury, even though the prime minister holds an additional title of 'First Lord of the Treasury'. He normally resides at Number 11 Downing Street.
