HC Deb 14 June 1945 vol 411 cc1808-12W
Mr. Burke

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will provide a list of the directors appointed' by His Majesty's Government to the boards of private companies; and whether there is any general policy in this connection as to the desirability of appointing some directors who have scientific qualifications as well as administrative abilities.

Sir J. Anderson

I assume that the reference to private companies in this Question is not a reference to the statutory definition contained in Section 26 of the Companies Act but is intended to relate to companies which, whatever their legal status, are trading for profit, as distinct from those which are operated for public purposes under the aegis of Government Departments as part of the administrative machinery of Government. I assume also

Company. Nature of Business. Directors appointed by His Majesty's Government.
Oceanic Steam Navigation Realisation Co. Ltd. Shipping S. Malcolm Baird, Esq.
Royal Mail Lines, Ltd.
David MacBrayne, Ltd. Coastal Shipping Lt.-Col. N. Macleod, C.M.G., D.S.O.
Irrawaddy Flotilla Co., Ltd. Irrawaddy Transport R. H. Wilson, Esq.
Suez Canal Co. — Rt. Hon. the Earl of Cromer, G.C.B., G.C.I.E., G.C.V.O.
Rt. Hon. Lord Hankey, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O.
N. E. Young, Esq., M.C.
Port of London Authority — J. P. Blake, Esq., D.L., J.P.
Vice-Adml. Sir John T. Edgell, K.B.E., C.B.
J. T. Scoulding, Esq., J.P.
Central Electricity Board Electricity Rt. Hon. Lord Barnby, C.M.G., C.B.E., M.V.O.
F. Hodges, Esq., J.P.
H. Hobson, Esq.
R. P. Sloan, Esq., C.B.E., M.I.E.E.
Sir Duncan Watson, J.P., M.I.E.E.
Sir Ralph L. Wedgwood, Bt., C.B., C.M.G.
W. K. Whigham, Esq.
North of Scotland Hydro-electric Board. do. Rt. Hon. the Earl of Airlie, K.T. G.C.V.O. M.C.
A. E. MacColl Esq.
N. S. Beaton, Esq.
Provost H. MacKenzie, C.B.E.
North Wales Power Co., Ltd. do. Brig.-Gen. R. F. Legge, C.B.E., D.S.O.
Electricity Distribution of North Wales and District, Ltd.
Tata Power Co., Ltd. do. L. A. Halsall, Esq.
Athens Piraeus Electricity Co. do. R. M. Meikle, Esq.
Electric Transport Co. (of Athens)
Bowater's Newfoundland Pulp & Paper Mills, Ltd. — A. A. Ritchie, Esq.
Anglo-Iranian Oil Co., Ltd. — Sir George L. Barstow, K.C.B.
Sir Edward H. Packe, K.B.E.
United Kingdom Commercial Corporation, Ltd. General Overseas Trading Sir Francis Joseph, Bt., K.B.E., D.L., M.I.Min.E.
Sir Frank H. Nixon, K.C.M.G., C.B.
A. C. Beatty, Esq.
J. H. Hambro, Esq.
C. P. Lister, Esq.
L. C. Paton, Esq.
Capt. J. A. Leighton, C.B.E., D.S.O.
E. J. Shearer, Esq., C.B., C.B.E., M.C.
A. D. Campbell, Esq., C.B.E.
E. H. Lever, Esq. F.I.A.

that the hon. Member is not concerned with companies which were acquired by the Government in order to ensure war production and which have since been advertised for sale. On this basis the list of the directors appointed by His Majesty's Government is as shown below.

In answer to the second part of the Question, the policy of the Government Departments which have occasion to appoint directors to the boards of companies is to select persons with the best qualifications for the appointments in question, including, where appropriate, scientific qualifications.

Company. Nature of Business. Directors appointed by His Majesty's Government.
Aircraft Precision, Ltd. Light Engineering A. Hacking, Esq., O.B.E.
E. R. Armelin, Esq.
G. A. Todd, Esq., C.A.
Broadway Engineering Co. do. Col. E. D. Basden, M.C.
F. W. Halliwell, Esq.
Erskine Tool Co., Ltd. do. N. S. Murray, Esq.
N. Campbell, Esq.
S. F. Shuttleworth, Esq.
John McClure, Ltd. do. N. S. Murray, Esq.
N. Campbell, Esq.
S. F. Shuttleworth, Esq.
S. G. Brown, Ltd. do. A. A. Rowse, Esq., M.I.M.E., M. Inst. C.E., M.I.A.E., M.I.E.E.
F. W. Gale, Esq.
Fairmile Marine Co., Ltd. Small-craft Construction Sir A. Noel C. Macklin.
Vice-Adml. C. V. Usborne, C.B., C.M.G.
W. Medd, Esq., C.B., O.B.E.
Frank Curtis, Ltd. do. D. McKellar, Esq., F.C.A.
A. J. Stubbings, Esq.
F. Curtis, Esq.
South Wales Forgemasters, Ltd. Drop Forgings P. E. Thomas, Esq., O.B.E., LL.D.
E. T. Granger, Esq., F.C.A.
J. D. Julien, Esq.
T. Stuart Overy, Esq.
Charles E. Jones, Ltd. Lime Quarries F. Sanders, Esq.
H. D. Bell, Esq., F.C.A.
E. T. Granger, Esq. F.C.A.
Short Bros. (Rochester & Bedford), Ltd. Aircraft Construction E. D. A. Herbert, Esq., O.B.E.
S. H. Brown, Esq.
Sir John S. Buchanan, C.B.E.
C. P. T. Lipscomb, Esq.
J. L. Parker, Esq., O.B.E.
D. W. Wiseman, Esq.
British Overseas Airways Corporation — Viscount Knollys, K.C.M.G., M.B.E., D.F.C.
Sir Harold G. Howitt, D.S.O., M.C. F.C.A.
Brig.-Gen. A. C. Critchley, C.M.G., D.S.O. C.B.E.
G. d'Erlanger, Esq., C.B.E., A.C.A.
J. Marchbank, Esq.
S. Marks, Esq., D.Sc.
Miss. P. Gower, M.B.E.
Nottingham & Clifton Collieries, Ltd. Collieries E. D. A. Herbert, Esq., O.B.E.
T. F. Turner, Esq., K.C.
F. Skevington, Esq., M.B.E.
J. & J. Charlesworth, Ltd. do. H. Danby, Esq.
Crawshaw & Warburton, Ltd. do. Maj. J. G. Scowlar.
Glass Houghton & Castleford Collieries, Ltd. do. Maj. H. M. Hudspeth, D.S.O., M.C.
Pontefract Collieries, Ltd.
Yorkshire Coking & Chemical Co., Ltd.
James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars), Ltd. Glass Manufacturers S. Malcolm Baird, Esq.
British Sugar Corporation, Ltd. — Lt.-Col. Sir Francis H. Humphrys, G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., K.B.E., C.I.E.
Sir Louis J. Kershaw, K.C.S.I., C.I.E.
Maj. J. Leslie, D.S.O., M.C.
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, Ltd. — Sir George L. Barstow, K.C.B.
Sir William Gavin, C.B.E.
E. L. Mitchell, Esq., C.B., C.B.E.
Scottish Agricultural Securities Corporation, Ltd. — Sir Joshua Ross-Taylor.