§ Mr. CLARRYasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state, from the last available returns, the total number of municipally-owned tramway, gas, and electric undertakings in Great Britain, together with their total capital expenditure; and the number showing a profit or loss, respectively, with the total amounts of such profit or loss?
885W
§ Colonel ASHLEYI have been asked to reply to this question. The latest published information regarding tramways, to which I would refer my hon. Friend, is for the year 1920–21. The tramways returns for 1921–22 are in course of preparation and preliminary total figures have been extracted for the purpose of this reply. There were in Great Britain at 31st March, 1922, 159 tramway undertakings owned by local authorities. The total capital expenditure upon these undertakings up to that date amounted to £65,085,736, including £8,681,621 for street improvements and old systems superseded. A considerable proportion of the loans raised to meet this expenditure has been redeemed or provided for by accumulations in redemption funds, but the amount is not readily ascertainable. The results of working two minor undertakings not operated by the owning authority are not available, but I have grouped the results of working the re-
— Class 1. Class 2. Class 3. Class 4. Class 5. Class 6. Total. Number of undertakings. 81 9 14 30 9 14 157 £ £ £ £ £ £ £ Capital Expenditure 33,056,336 1,430,663 21,839,735 5,378,696 1,713,920 1,420,316 64,839,666 Cr. Net Income 3,519,528 108,446 1,039,493 219,897 64,424 22,801 (Debit). 4,928,987 Dr. Interest on Capital 763,368 32,867 444,007 80,567 77,418 49,078 1,453,305 Redemption of Capital. 807,888 39,067 520,742 173,821 49,939 30,522 1,621,979 Income Tax and other appropriation charges. 571,180 23,864 337,868 34,406 6,277 5,146 978,741 Reserves (including Depreciation, etc.) Funds. 1,080,443 40,040 — 1,501 1,000 6,960 1,129,944 Total 3,222,879 135,838 1,302,617 296,295 134,634 91,706 5,183,969 Balance. Dr. — 27,392 263,124 76,398 70,210 114,507 254,982 Do. Cr. 296,649 — — — — — —