4. Major BARNESasked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the fact that the goodwill and patents of the 1774 British Dyes, Limited, and Levensteins, Limited, has been valued at £980,044, he will say whether this value depends upon the continued assistance of the Government being given to this industry; if so, whether this value should have gone to the State giving the assistance; and, if not, why assistance should be given to companies whose goodwill and patents are declared to be of the value stated above?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe value of the goodwill and patents of any industrial undertaking necessarily depends largely upon the amount of capital available for carrying on its operations. In this particular case it is not considered that the State is entitled to share in the value of the goodwill and patents, except in proportion to its participation in the whole subscribed capital of the company. The general reasons for State aid in this case have been fully stated on several occasions in this House.