Gas Boards (Reports and Accounts)

HC Deb 13 June 1973 vol 857 cc339-40W

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the publication of the final reports and accounts of the area gas boards for the nine months ended 31st December 1972.

Mr. Emery

The first accounts of the British Gas Corporation will relate to the activities of the industry as a whole for the year to 31st March 1973, including the nine months in respect of which accounts for each area board must also be published.

In these special circumstances there are advantages in harmonisation of the separate auditing arrangements, which I am satisfied justify a modest consequential delay in the appearance of the area board reports. Despite this I now expect the reports and accounts of the corporation and of the area boards to be published simultaneously at the beginning of September, more than a month earlier than the annual Gas Council and the area boards reports have emerged in previous years.