§ 30. Mr. Gammansasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the loss on the Jamaican nationalised railway for the latest period for which figures are available; if this loss includes amortisation on capital or is only an operating loss; and what has been the total loss on this railway since it was acquired by the Jamaican Government.
Mr. Creech JonesThe operating loss for the financial year ended 31st March, 1946, was £128,000, not including interest and redemption charges amounting over that period to £99,700. The accumulated loss since the Jamaica Government acquired the railway in 1900 up to the end of the current year will, it is estimated, be approximately £5,500,000.
§ Mr. GammansWill the right hon. Gentleman pass those figures to the Minister of Transport, in order that they may be of some use to him in his advocacy of the nationalisation of transport?
Mr. Creech JonesIt was because of the hopelessness of private enterprise that the Jamaican Government took over this railway and ran it as a national concern.