HC Deb 11 April 1922 vol 153 cc217-8
29. Sir A. HOLBROOK

asked the Home Secretary whether the sums given in column 3 in the table relating to State management of the liquor trade, published on the 28th March, 1922, amounting in the aggregate to about £489,129, have been repaid to the Exchequer in replacement of capital cost; and will he state what sums were accumulated out of profits in each year, previous to the period covered by the table, and the amounts repaid to the Exchequer out of such profits towards the replacement of capital cost?

Mr. SHORTT

As the answer is rather long, perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will allow me to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer:

The amounts accruing to the Exchequer towards replacement of capital cost, both in respect of the three years covered by the table given in my previous answer and in respect of the previous period, are as follows:

£ s. d.
For the period to 31st March, 1918 164,733 12 8
For the next three years 377,101 4 8*
Total, to 31st March, 1921 541,834 17 4

* Namely: £489,129, the figure quoted in the question from the table given in the previous answer, less £112,028, the total of the figures given for interest in that table.

The hon. and gallant Member will notice that in this and my previous answer, as well as in the published accounts, the phrase used is not "repaid to the Exchequer," but "accruing to the Exchequer"—the reason being that the undertakings are financed by the Exchequer, and that the surplus takings accumulated at the end of a year or other period, after the charges and expenses up to date have been met, are used to reduce the amounts advanced or payable by the Exchequer either by being applied to purposes for which Exchequer advances would otherwise have to be made, or by being actually paid into the Exchequer in repayment of the net outstanding-Exchequer advances.

I do not mean to imply that there is any substantial inaccuracy in the hon. and gallant Member's phrase "repaid to the Exchequer," but I have thought it advisable to set out the position in technically correct language.