§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost of forming B.R.S. (Parcels) Limited and also of issuing the prospectus for the sale of the whole of its issued share capital.]
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, the preliminary expenses of forming B.R.S. (Parcels) Ltd., including stamp duty, amounted to £35,100. The expenses of preparing and issuing the prospectus for the sale of the whole of the issued capital are estimated at £18,000. These figures exclude the cost of services rendered by the staff of the Commission, of British Road Services and of the Road Haulage Disposal Board.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHMy Lords, as this waste of the taxpayers' money will, I suppose, have to be found out of the capital levy, and as the noble Earl cannot state precisely the additional cost to the Commission in the diversion of staff to carry out this scheme, could he give the House any estimate of what that total cost will amount to over and above the almost £60,000, which is the cost up to date of the outside-the-Commission organisation?
§ THE EARL OF SELKIRKI am afraid that on this particular subject I cannot give any more detailed figures than I have done, and I do not think it is really necessary. On the further point which the noble Lord raised, surely this amounts to improved efficiency of transport which will be well worth while at a comparatively small expenditure.
§ LORD LUCAS OF CHILWORTHWill Her Majesty's Government give any guarantee that that will be the case?