§ Major NATHANasked the President of the Board of Trade the number of companies registered at the Joint Stock Companies Registry, distinguishing between private companies, as defined by the Companies Act, 1929, and public companies, within the meaning of the phrase "private company," as sought to be interpreted by Clause 33 of the Finance Bill, and how the number of such companies compares with the total number of companies, showing private and public companies separately, registered at the Joint Stock Companies Registry?
§ Mr. W. GRAHAMThe figure which, I understand, the hon. and gallant Member specially desires to have, would require a separate investigation to be made of the constitution of each public company on the register, in order to ascertain whether it falls within the scope of the Clause in question, and in view of the enormous amount of labour which would be involved, I regret that I cannot undertake to have the inquiry made. The total number of companies on the register at the beginning of this year was 110,099, of which 91,813 were private companies within the meaning of the Companies Act, 1929.