§ Mr. Merchantasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the levels of balance sheet debt at the date of sale or last year end of those public sector enterprises of which the Government prior to sale owned 51 per cent. or more and after sale owned less than 50 per cent.
§ Mr. MooreBalance sheet debt in the form of medium and long-term group liabilities was as shown in the following table:
520W
Sale Date of sale Capital debt* Capital debt* £ million at British Aerospace February 1981 35.5 14 June 1980 Cable and Wireless †October 1981 20.7 31 March 1981 National Freight Company February 1982 1.0 13 June 1981 Amersham International February 1982 ‡10.5 30 September 1981 Britoil November 1982 ≑256.1 1 August 1982 Associated British Ports Holdings February 1983 82.0 30 June 1982 Enterprise Oil June 1984 Nil 31 December 1983 British Telecom November 1984 ¶3,251 31 March 1984 * Medium and long-term group liabilities. † After the October 1981 sale, the Government's residual shareholding remained marginally above 50 per cent. It was reduced to 23.1 per cent, in December 1983. ‡ Includes lease finance of £1.7 million. ≑ Includes a debenture of £88.2 million issued to BNOC as part consideration for transfer of business.
¶ Includes lease finance of £148 million.
Source: Accounts published in sale prospectuses.