HC Deb 10 February 1953 vol 511 c20W
59. Sir H. Williams

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of the assets purchased out of the sum of £251,000 advanced by his Department to the National Research Development Corporation.

Mr. H. Strauss

The accounts contained in the Corporation's Third Annual Report show that the assets acquired by the Corporation (apart from such fixed assets as furniture and equipment) consist largely of patent rights resulting from expenditure on patenting and developing inventions. The value of such assets cannot be accurately assessed until the returns received from exploitation are known: in accordance with the usual accounting practice, they are shown in the balance sheet at cost.