§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of all the capital debt and revenue deficits of nationalised industries written off since 1st April 1972, and any further sums still due to be written off.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettFor the first part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the information in the Answer I gave on 1st December to the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling (Mr. Stanley). In addition, the Post Office (Banking Services) Bill now before Parliament proposes that the Post Office indebtedness to the National Loans Fund should be reduced by £29.7 million, of which £13 million in respect of its banking services would be recreated in the form of public dividend capital.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the expected, or latest published forecast, surplus or deficit for each nationalised industry in 1975–76, stating whether account has been taken of any compensation for price restraint or for social service operation.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettBefore taking account of subsidies, the following industries expect to break even or be in surplus: Scottish electricity boards, British Gas Corporation, Post Office, British Airports Authority, British Transport Docks Board. The remaining industries expect to be in deficit.