§ Mr. Daggarasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the profits of the companies' and local authorities' gas undertakings in Great Britain for the years 1935, 1936 and 1937, respectively, and the price paid per ton of coal, and similar particulars with regard to the generation of electricity?
§ Captain WallaceWith regard to gas undertakings, the information for 1937 is not yet available and, in respect of 1935, I would refer to the answer given on 29th November last to the hon. Member for Spennymoor (Mr. Batey). Particulars in respect of 1936 are given in the attached tables, but I have no information with 1337W regard to the price paid for coal. Information regarding electricity undertakings for the Years 1935–36 and 1936–37
STATUTORY GAS UNDERTAKINGS. Companies. Year. Total Capital (Share and stock) Paid up Total loan Capital (including g debenture stock) issued. Revenue Account. Receipts. Expenditure. Profit. £ £ £ £ £ 1936 … … 97,878,916 45,670,301 47,601,326 39,963,528 7,637,798
Local Authorities.* Year Total amount of money borrowed. Total amount of loans repaid and balance in sinking fund. Revenue Account. Interest paid on loans, amount of loans repaid and amount placed to sinking Fund. Net Profit. Receipt. Expenditure. Gross Profit. £ £ £ £ £ £ £ 1936–37 82,300,351 56,081,863 22,165,171 18,379,015 3,786,156 3,108,759 677,397 * The financial year of the Local Authorities Undertakings runs from 1st April to 31st March.
AUTHORISED ELECTRICITY UNDERTAKINGS. (1) Company Undertakings. Year. Capital Expenditure at end of Year. Gross Surplus. Appropriation of Gross Surplus. Interest. Dividends. Depreciation and other Purposes. £ £ £ £ £ 1935 … 193,048,518* 16,450,689 2,788,250 6,697,175 6,965,264 1936 … 207,644,892 18,124,452 2,977,681 7,269,485 7,877,286
(2) Public Authority Undertakings. Year. Capital Expenditure at end of year. Gross Surplus. Appropriation of Gross Surplus. Interest. Sinking Fund. Balance, other Purposes. £ £ £ £ £ 1935–36 … 287,617,615 22,519,418 6,328,287 9,264,733 6,926,398 1936–37 … 309,033,892 23,699,827 6,454,962 9,817,100 7,427,765 * Exclusive of expenditure on two Company undertakings which were transferred to Local Authorities as from 1st January, 1936, the purchase prices of such undertakings being included in the figures for Public Authorities. Cost of Coal.
The average cost in 1935–36 and 1936–37 per ton of coal and coke consumed at generating stations of all authorised undertakers was 15s. 0d. and 16s. 8d. respectively.
These figures are inclusive of the costs of handling, preparation and ash disposal. In both years the quantity of coke was less than 2 per cent of the total coal tonnage.
1338Wis given in the attached tables, but the corresponding figures for the Year 1937–38 are not yet available.