§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is aware that certain public companies, contrary to the Companies Act, 1967, Section 17, fail to disclose the extent of pretax profit or loss situations of classes of business differing substantially from each other, albeit that details of turnover may be so revealed; and whether he will inform companies that the provision is mandatory and that the opinion of the direc- 346W tors is confined solely to the definition of such different classes together with an appropriate presentation of the relevant profits.
§ Mr. NobleThe effect of Section 17 is that, where separate turnover figures are given for various classes of business, the extent to which those classes contributed to or restricted the profit or loss of the company before tax must also be shown. I will look into any violations of this provision which are brought to my attention.