§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, following his Written Answer in the Official Report of 1st December 1975, columns 475 and 476, whether there have been any further capital debt or revenue write-offs in the nationalised industries; what is the latest figure for the total capital employed by the nationalised industries; and whether payment of dividends on the public dividend capital is to be made by any nationalised industry in the fiscal year 1975–76.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThere has been one further write-off. Under the Post Office (Banking Services) Act, which received the Royal Assent on 25th March, Post Office indebtedness to the National Loans Fund was reduced by £29.7 million, of which £13 million in respect of its banking services has been recreated in the form of public dividend capital. The latest available figure for total capital employed by the nationalised inductries remains £18,268 million. Whether there are to be any dividends for 1975–76 on public dividend capital will be decided later when the accounts of the iudustries concerned are finalised.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, following his Written Answer in the Official Report of 1st December 1975, column 474, to the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing (Mr. Stanley), what were the total profits or losses in the nationalised industries for 1975–76 on the same basis.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThe comparable total for 1975–76 cannot be calculated until the detailed figures for all the nationalised industries are published later 83W this year in their annual reports and accounts.
§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answers to the hon. Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence) on 6th February 1976, Official Report, column 774, if he will indicate the subsidies, compensation or other payments for the period ended March 1976, for the nationalised industries.
§ Mr. Joel BarnettThe provisional cumulative totals to March 1976 are as follows:
Nationalised Industries Cumulative subsidies, compensation and other payments in respect of the period to March 1976 £ million National Coal Board 590 Electricity Industry (England and Wales) 649 Electricity Industry (Scotland) 50 British Gas Corporation 107 British Steel Corporation — Post Office 465 British Airways Board 48 British Airports Authority 9 British Transport Commission (1) 260 British Railways Board 2497 London Transport Board (1) 41 British Transport Docks Board — British Waterways Board 43 National Freight Corporation 51 National Bus Company 48 Scottish Transport Group 27 (1) The BTC ceased to exist from 1st January 1963. The LTB ceased to be a nationalised industry on 1st January 1970.