§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will indicate the State holdings in British shipbuilding companies and state whether he proposes to use the Industry Act 1972 to increase State equity holdings in shipbuilding firms.
§ Mr. MeacherThe Government have equity holdings in three United Kingdom shipbuilding companies, viz.: Govan Shipbuilders Ltd., wholly Government owned; Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd., a 50 per cent. holding of ordinary shares; Harland and Wolff Ltd., a 47.6 per cent. holding of ordinary shares.
Our proposals for further public ownership of the shipbuilding industry were set out in our election manifesto.