§ Mr. SCURRasked the Under-Secretary of State for India the percentage of capital invested in the Bengal-Nagpur Railway held by the Government of India?
§ Earl WINTERTONLeaving debenture capital out of account, the percentage is at present about 92, and this is the percentage taken by the Government of the profits of the railway after all charges, including debenture interest, have been met.
§ Mr. SCURRasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the company-managed railways of India are under the control of the Secretary of State and the Indian Railway Board; and whether any 2212W losses suffered by the companies from any cause are repaid from the Indian revenues?
§ Earl WINTERTONIt would be impossible for me within the limits of a reply to a Parliamentary question to explain the relation of the Government to railways in India. I would refer the hon. Member to Appendix A in Volume I of the Report by the Railway Board on Indian Railways for 1924–25, a copy of which is in the Library. As the contracts concluded with the different companies vary considerably, I cannot give a general reply to the second part of the question. But, broadly speaking, any loss on the working of a railway managed by a company would be borne by the company if it has no Government guarantee of interest, and by the Government if it has such a guarantee.