§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Offical Report a table showing profits in manufacturing industry for each year since 1953 as a percentage of capital employed on the basis of historic costs.
§ Mr. ButcherRates of return at historic cost for manufacturing companies, based on national accounts figures, are as follows. They are available only for 1960–81, but preliminary indications are for a small increase in 1982.
Rates of return at current replacement cost were published in British Business, 17 Septmber 1982.
82W
Net rates of return at historic cost*: manufacturing companies Year Per cent. 1960 19.0 1961 16.1 1962 14.4 1963 15.4 1964 16.2 1965 15.5 1966 13.7 1967 12.9 1968 14.1 1969 14.3 1970 13.6 1971 13.8 1972 15.7 1973 18.9 1974 19.3 1975 16.6 1976 18.7 1977 20.6 1978 20.3 1979 19.4 1980 15.3 1981 12.2
(*) Gross trading profits from United Kingodm operations less capital consumption at historic costs expressed as a percentage of net capital stock of fixed assets at historic costs (excluding land) plus book value of stocks in United Kingdom.