§ Sir John Hallasked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the return, before tax, on capital employed in the chemical industry for each of the years from 1973 to the last year for which figures are available, calculated both in conventional and inflation accounting terms.
§ Mr. CryerThe information available relates to large listed companies which are engaged mainly in the United Kingdom in activities principally within the chemical and allied industries. Measured at historic costs their rate of return on net trading assets was 16 per cent. in 1973, 20½ per cent. in 1974 and—provisionally—16½ per cent. in 1975. Measured at replacement costs the corresponding rates were 5 per cent., 4 per cent. and 3½ per cent. respectively.