asked the Minister for Finance the amount of the national debt at present; the amount this represents per capita of the population; and the interest payable at present.

The amount of the national debt is compiled as at the end of each financial year. The latest date for which such a figure is available therefore is 31 December 1977. At that date the national debt amounted to £4,219 million which represented a figure of £1,322per capita of the population. The interest payable in the financial year 1978 is esimated at £429 million.