§ Mr. Nelsonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about revised external financing limits for the nationalised industries following the reductions in national insurance surcharge proposed in the Budget on 15 March.
§ Mr. BrittanRevised external financing limits for nationalised industries in 1983–84 are set out in the following table. The adjustments offset the additions to internal resources which arise from the proposed reduction in national insurance surcharge. No industry will be worse off than previously and their plans should be unchanged.
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1983–84* EFL £ million cash National Coal Board 1,201 Electricity (England and Wales) -406 North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board 7 South of Scotland Electricity Board 283 British Gas Corporation -34 British National Oil Corporation† -1 British Steel Corporation+ 193 British Telecom -108 Post Office -47 National Girobank -½ British Airways Board 4 British Airports Authority 33 British Railways Board 956 British Waterways Board 41½ National Bus Company 66 Scottish Transport Group 19 British Shipbuilders 159 Civil Aviation Authority 21 * All the EFLs have been rounded as appropriate. † The figure for BNOC is not a limit. BNOC's trading results are
likely to fluctuate from year to year given the uncertainties of oil trading. ‡ The prospects for the British Steel Corporation in 1983–84 are under review as announced on 29 March by the Secretary of State for Industry. I am also able to announce a revised EFL for Water Authorities (England and Wales):
1983–84 EFL £ million cash Water Authorities (England and Wales)* 362 * Including a reduction of £0.75 million in land drainage allocations.