§ Mr. Hoyleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the companies which have 470W been taken into public ownership by the six original members of the EEC since the Common Market was formed.
§ Mr. Hattersley,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 22nd April; Vol. 890, c 273], gave the following answer:
The information cannot be presented fully within a reasonable space and is not available in complete detail for all the countries concerned, but the following is a summary of the main points.
Belgium
In 1960 Sabena—Belgian national airways—was restructured and partially nationalised. 90 per cent. of the share capital is now State subscribed. In 1961 the public transport sector was restructured with increased State participation. It is now publicly owned and run in some areas. In 1965 Distrigas—gas distribution—was partially nationalised. The State took a third participation. In 1971 the Crystalleries du Val St-Lambert was taken into public ownership.
In 1962 a para statal financial institution the Société Nationale d'Invesstisscment—was set up to encourage economic expansion by taking equity participations in the private sector. Since its establishment, the SNI has taken participations—some only short-lived—in over 150 companies. Proposals are currently under discussion to increase the role and scope of the State's activity through this and other vehicles.
France
Most nationalisation took place in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, but in recent years the French Government have extended their participation in industry both by the injection of funds and by the creation of Government holdings in various industries. The latest available list of companies under public ownership totals some 65, excluding subsidiaries. They include harbours, the electricity, gas and coal industries, ERAP, parts of the chemical and automobile industries, some insurance and banking, the tobacco industry and various research bureaux. There are approximately a further 45 "Sociétés d'Economie Mixte" in which the Government have shares of varying proportions.
Germany
Major acts of nationalisation in the Federal Republic of Germany date from before the Second World War. The Federal Government currently have holdings in some 700 companies. There have been dealings, through the market, in these holdings since 1957 but detailed information on the dates of such changes is not available.
Italy
In Italy, State intervention in the economy has increased continually since the Second World War. It has been effected both by direct nationalisation and through State holding companies, themselves wholly owned by the Government, which purchase interests in private 471W companies as an instrument for carrying out Government economic and industrial policies. Since 1958, 1,146 Italian private firms have been directly nationalised, being absorbed into the State electricity corporation, following the nationalisation of most electricity generation and distribution in 1962–63. In the same period the State holding corporations have acquired controlling interests in about 275 private companies, and 50 per cent. interest in 12 others.
Among the more important companies in which the State holding corporations have acquired controlling interests since 1958 are the CNR shipbuilding group, the Motta Alemagna, Star and Surgela food processing distribution chains, the Romana supermarket chain, Innocenti (Engineeering Division), Societa Metallurgica Italiana, the Rivoira industrial gas factory, and the Marmie Grantini quarrying group.
Among the more important companies, 50 per cent. of whose assets have been acquired in the same period are the Aeritalia aircraft manufacturing group, the Grandi Motori Trieste diesel engine works, the Piombino steel complex and the Italtractor agricultural machinery factory, each of which is now owned 50 per cent. by the State holding corporation IRI and 50 per cent. by Fiat.
Luxembourg
Nationalisation has not been the policy of the Government of Luxembourg.
>Netherlands
There has been no nationalisation since 1957 but the Dutch Government have taken minority shareholdings in a number of enterprises.