§ 46. Mr. BLACKasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the approximate value is of all the assets remaining for sale in the hands of the Disposal Board; whether he expects that these assets will all be liquidated during the current financial year; and, if not, what is the estimated value that will remain for disposal after 31st March, 1925?
Mr. GRAHAMThe estimated value of all the assets remaining for sale in the hands of the Surplus Stores Liquidation Department is approximately £6,500,000. Every effort will be made to dispose of these assets during the current financial year, but as they include a number of factories and considerable quantities of machinery, it may not prove possible to dispose of them all at satisfactory prices before 31st March next. In these circumstances, the hon. Member will realise that I am not in a position to answer the last part of his question.
§ Sir JAMES REMNANTHave any further arrangements been made since the contract with Cohen and Armstrong under which they were entitled to dispose of the whole of the goods remaining in the hands of the Government?
§ Mr. BLACKDoes the sum of £6,500,000 include any amounts that are to be received from assets that have already been sold? Is £6,500,000 the total of everything?
Mr. GRAHAMIn reply to the last supplementary question, I rather think that this refers only to the amount remaining to be sold, and not to payments which may be due, but I will inquire on that point. As regards the question put by the hon. Baronet the Member for Holborn (Sir J. Remnant), I could not, of course, without notice, tell whether there has been any variation in any individual contract.
§ Sir J. REMNANTIs it not the fact that the whole of the remaining goods were stated in this House to have been handed over under contract to this new firm of Cohen and Armstrong, and how will that matter be dealt with?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Baronet had better put that question down.
§ 50. Mr. BLACKasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total sum received by the Disposal Commission for goods sold since the Commission was set up; what has been the total amount of bad debts and losses made by the Commission; and what has been the total cost of selling the goods, in commissions and expenses, and otherwise?
Mr. GRAHAMThe hon. Member will find the information which he desires in the annual progress Report on the disposal of surplus Government property and on liquidation which has been presented to Parliament (Command Paper 2106 of 1924).
§ Sir J. REMNANTIs the hon. Gentleman aware of this Disposal Board ever having made a profit at all? They claimed a profit which was made by the Australian Government over the wool deal as if it had been their own, when they had nothing whatever to do with it.