Sir H. SAMUELasked the Minister of Agriculture what has been the amount of capital expended for all purposes by the beet-sugar factory companies now operating in Great Britain; what is the total amount which has been applied to depreciation; and the total amount allotted to reserves or retained as un-appropriated balances during the period of the subsidy?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe position as at 31st March, 1931, was as follows:—
1609W
£ 1. Total capital expenditure 8,703,085 2. Total amount applied to depreciation 2,789,772 3. Total amount appropriated to reserves 1,330,125 4. Total amount retained as unappropriated balances 375,051* * The unappropriated balances exclude the total amount of dividends paid in the year 1930–31 and include the net surplus carried forward from the year ended 31st March, 1930.
Sir H. SAMUELasked the Minister of Agriculture what was the amount of dividend paid on the preference and ordinary capital of each of the beet-sugar factory companies receiving subsidy from the Exchequer in each of the subsidy years?
§ Dr. ADDISONI regret that I am not in a position to give the information desired. I understand, however, that those companies that are public companies have from time to time published their dividends in the Press, though the private companies have not.