HC Deb 24 May 1973 vol 857 cc114-6W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for each of the years 1960 to 1972, the payments to the Exchequer arising from, respectively, public dividend capital, Government shareholdings in private industry, and Government shareholding in nationalised industries.

Mr. Higgins

Following is the information on payments into the Consolidated Fund between 1960–61 and 1972–73 in respect of Government shareholdings in private sector companies and public corporations.

FINANCIAL YEARS TO 31ST MARCH
Dividends 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
On public dividend capital:
British Overseas Airways Corporation — — — — — — 3,500 5,250 10,000 12,500 13,000 4,875 3,250
Industrial Reorganisation Corporation — — — — — — — — — 750 500 — —
On shares*:
British Petroleum Company Limited 12,188 13,125 11,813 15,750 16,200 19,080 26,009 32,170 34,645 34,645 37,120 36,011 35,422
British Sugar Corporation Limited — 35 28 65 90 54 59 56 104 63 111 86 112
Cable and Wireless Limited 947 1,328 1,320 1,408 1,606 1,388 1,125 1,125 1,350 1,800 2,400 2,400 1,500
Suez Finance Company 236 258 263 265 73 397 399 480 529 458 536 620 859
Power Jets (Research and Development) Limited — 50 50 50 50 — — 117 257 24 45 50 —
International Computers (Holdings) Limited — — — — — — — — — — 26 39 —
In lieu of dividend:
Bank of England 1,746 1,746 1,746 1,746 1,746 1,746 1,746 1,746 1,746 1,746 1,746 1,873 4,500
* As far as can be readily ascertained, these figures include all significant receipts during this period in respect of shareholdings held by Government Departments with the exception of those transferred to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry following the dissolution of the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation on 30th April 1971.