HC Deb 09 May 1977 vol 931 cc397-8W
Mr. David Howell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his replies to the hon. Member for Guildford, Official Report, 27th April, column 364, if he will describe monitoring arrangements used by the Treasury to follow recourse to external finance by nationalised industries; and whether he has established annual spending profiles of any kind for these industries.

Mr. Joel Barnett

Returns are made by the main industries monthly, and by the smaller industries quarterly, of their estimated capital requirements and the financing of these from internal and external sources. These returns include information on the cumulative position as the year unfolds which can be compared with and used as a check on the forecast outturn.

Mr. David Howell

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his replies to the hon. Member for Guildford, Official Report, 27th April, column 364, whether there are any routine as opposed to exceptional circumstances in which the cash limits imposed on a nationalised industry are likely to be modified.

Mr. Joel Barnett

No.