LONDON -- The British Chambers of Commerce said Friday it was postponing until spring 2003 a survey of its 135,000 members on whether Britain should drop the pound and adopt the euro. The survey had been planned for September, but spokesman Malik Thahid said it was being "strategically deferred ... as we feel that would be more influential to the debate."

"That is the time when the euro debate and the economic assessments will be hotting up," he said.

He denied a front-page report in the daily ****** Telegraph **** claiming that the survey was being shelved due to a lack of interest.

Public opinion polls have consistently found that a majority of Britons are opposed to adopting the euro, AFP reported.

Prime Minister Tony Blair's government has said it would decide by June 2003 whether to hold a referendum on Britain joining the 12 other EU member states which use the single European currency.

Earlier this month, a poll carried out for foreign exchange group FX currency services found that almost half of Britons had no idea what the euro is worth in relation to the pound.