§ Mr. WISEasked the Lord Privy Seal whether during the past few years the administration and direct control schemes of the Central Control Board, regarded as a whole, have involved financial loss or profit to the State; what is the present position; and whether figures can be published which will give the results in a simple and concise form?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI am informed that the operations of the Central Control Board are resulting in a financial gain to the State, since the surplus annually accruing from the Board's direct control undertakings at Carlisle and elsewhere exceeds, and has for some time exceeded, the whole of the expenditure of the Board upon all other purposes or branches of its work whatsoever. The appended table, which covers the whole period of nearly five years from May, 1915, to 31st March, 1920, the end of the last financial year, shows that by that date the State had already benefited to the extent of some £270,000 as the net financial result of the operations of the Board since their commencement. It is premature to estimate the rate at which this figure will increase in the future, but, subject to the reservations necessarily attaching to any such statement, the present rate of increase may be provisionally put at about £100,000 a year.
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CENTRAL CONTROL BOARD (LIQUOR TRAFFIC). FINANCIAL STATEMENT, 1915–20. PART I. TOTAL expenditure from the Exchequer on account of the Central Control Board other than expenditure in respect of the Board's Direct Control Undertakings (see Part II), for the period from May, 1915, to 31st March, 1920. A. General (including central administration with full allowances under (i) and (ii) for all services rendered by other Government Departments):— £ s. d. (i) Salaries … … … 80,301 17 2 (ii) Establishment expenses (rent, rates, printing, etc.) … … … 27,955 0 0 (iii) Travelling expenses: £ s. d. (a) Members of Board 2,708 5 8 (b) Members of Staff 14,741 5 6 17,449 11 2 (iv) Miscellaneous expenses 8,959 0 9 134,665 9 1 B. Provision and Maintenance of Canteens 28,351 5 9 (Capital payments in respect of Canteens have been discontinued.) Total Expenditure 163,016 14 10
PART II. Direct Control Undertakings (Carlisle, &c.)— £ s. d. Assets, as per last Balance Sheet (31st March, 1920) … … … 1,307,448 19 6 Liabilities, as per last Balance Sheet (31st March, 1920) … … … 872,113 6 4 Balance, being amount accrued to the Exchequer … … … 435,335 13 2 The liabilities include Exchequer advances made for the purposes of the Undertakings, and the balance is arrived at after provision has been made for interest on these advances and for all recurring charges (including depreciation). For details, reference may be made to the Balance Sheet which has been published as a Parliamentary Paper (Cmd. 1018).
PART III. £ s. d. Amount accrued to the Exchequer, as shown in Part II … … … 435,335 13 2 Total Expenditure, as shown in Part I … … … 163,016 14 10 Surplus … … … 272,318 18 4