§ Viscountess ASTORasked the Home Secretary whether he can state the percentage return to capital employed in the State purchase undertakings for each of the last three years, so as to enable an opinion to be formed as to their commercial success; and whether he will give separately in his answer the figures for the Carlisle area?
§ Sir J. BAIRDIn the subjoined Table I give the figures asked for, but I think it right to add that a bare statement of the percentage return to capital employed would not, speaking generally, afford a very sure foundation for an opinion as to the success of an ordinary commercial undertaking, or for a comparison of it with similar concerns.