§ Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion, in terms, respectively, of sales, profits and net assets, is accounted for by 206W conglomerate companies in each industry, as defined by the standard industrial classification.
§ Sir G. HoweNo information is available on the importance of conglomerate companies in each industry. The only information I have relates to the large industrial and commercial quoted companies operating mainly in the United Kingdom whose accounts are summarised in the Business Monitor, M3, Company Finance. Within these large companies, those with mixed activities, which engaged in three or more industries none of which predominated, accounted in 1971 for the following percentages of the total:
Number of companies 1.8 Turnover 2.7 Net profits after depreciation 2.4 Net assets 2.5