s 3 Securities for note issue to be held in issue department.
(1) In addition to the gold coin and bullion for the time being in the issue department, the Bank shall from time to time appropriate to and hold in the issue department securities of an amount in value sufficient to cover the fiduciary note issue for the time being. (2) The securities to be held as aforesaid may include silver coin to an amount not exceeding five and one-half million pounds. (3) The Bank shall from time to time give to the Treasury such information as the Treasury may require with respect to the securities held in the issue department, . . . (4) In this section the expression “ securities ” includes securities and assets in currency of any country and in whatever form held.