HC Deb 08 December 1959 vol 615 cc24-5W
Mr. Ellis Smith

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will set out fully in tabular form the amounts paid in loans and subsidies to each service and industry during the last financial year, and the total amount since the end of 1946.

Sir E. Boyle

The following table shows the principal loans and subsidies by the central Government in 1958 and in the period 1947 to 1958 inclusive. The figures follow the definitions used in estimates of National Income and Expenditure and relate to calendar years.

LOANS AND SUBSIDIES BY THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
£ million
1958 1947 to 1958 inclusive
Loans (net) (a)
To Public Corporations
Coal 102 439
Electricity 158 438
Gas 21 70
Iron and Steel 7 163
Inland transport 207 406
Airways 37 83
Housing and new tows 33 297
Raw cotton -1 - 17
Development of overseas resources 5 102
Other 4 24
Total 573 2,005
To Local Authorities
Housing - 11 2,008
To finance advances under the Small Dwellings Acquisition and Housing Acts 190
Education - 9 195
Public Health - 1 89
Water supply 110
Other loans(b) - 9 341
Total - 30 2,933
Total loans to public corporation and local authorities (c) 543 4,938
Subsidies
Fuel and power industries 17
Transport and communication 8 105
Housing 89 817
Agriculture and food 272 3,938
Other industry and trade 1 124
Total subsidies 370 5,001
(a) Advances less repayments. Figures preceded by a minus sign indicate an excess of repayments over new advances.
(b) Loans for a variety of purposes not readily indentifiable and including all loans from the Northern Ireland Government Loans Fund.
(c) In addition loans to other bodies—excluding loans to overseas governments—amounted to about £5 million net in 1958; the total for the period 1947 to 1958 is not readily available.