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Written question asked by Lord Peston (Labour), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Sassoon (Conservative) on Thursday, 17 June 2010.

Economy: National Debt

Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which persons or bodies own the United Kingdom national debt; and what proportion of those are foreign.
Answer

Statistical data on gilt holdings are published quarterly by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). These data, which are subject to revision, combine overseas wholesale and overseas retail gilt holdings. The UK Debt Management Office (DMIO) also publishes the data in its quarterly review. The table below shows gilt holdings, by sector, as at 31 December 2009.

£ billion
Local government 0.2
Public corporations 1.3
Banks 215.1
Building societies 13.5
Insurance companies and pension funds 253.8
Other financial institutions 80.9
Private non-financial companies 0.8
Households 6.4
Overseas 224.3
Total 796.3

"Source: Office for National Statistics" The overseas holdings at 31 December 2009 were 28.2 per cent of the total holdings.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
243; 719 c128-9WA
Session
2010-12
Subjects
Foreign nationals Government securities Ownership Public sector debt
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk