§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of those share disposals of the National Enterprise Board, and of its new investment, in 1982–83 and to date in 1983–84; and whether receipts from disposals are paid over to the Treasury or retained by the National Enterprise Board.
§ Mr. ButcherInformation regarding the period up to the end of 1982 is contained in the published reports and accounts of the NEB, which are available in the Library'. In the period 1 January 1983 to 30 September 1983 the NEB sold all or part of its equity holdings in the following companies: United Medical Enterprises, Celltech, Rigby Electronics, Twinlock.
In the same period the NEB made new equity investments in the following companies: Bradford University Software Systems, C Squared Company, Durascreen, Electronic Automation, Focom Systems, Hilton (Products), Integrated Micro Products, Prolog, Silicon Microsystems, Tarlan Services, WFI (Europe), British Vacuum Technology, Britpharm, Epichem, Mather Machinery Company, Shelton Instruments, Solglo, White Cross Rubber Products. Of these, 12 were investments made under the NEB's regional investment role.
Paragraph 8 of the NEB guidelines states that the board will be allowed to retain and reinvest some part of the receipts from the sale of certain investments, to be determined by the Secretary of State from time to time.