§ Mr. Fisherasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his policy to show the difference between the actual receipts from assets sales in any one financial year and thy: value of fixed and current assets as shown in any previous year's audited accounts, when presenting his financial statement and Budget report.
§ Mr. MooreNo. The value of fixed and current assets as shown in audited accounts follows certain accountancy conventions, and is intended to reflect either, in the case of historic cost accounts, the depreciated original cost of the assets or, in the case of current cost accounts, the depreciated replacement cost, or more generally, the value of the assets to the business itself. In neither case does this necessarily correspond to the market value of the business.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he uses to estimate the revenue from asset sales in any one financial year.
§ Mr. MooreThe Government's estimates of revenue from special sales of assets take into account all known relevant factors. There are always considerable uncertainties attached to the estimates as outturn is dependent upon market conditions at the time of sales and the detailed content and timing of the programme.
§ Mr. Fisherasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his policy, when selling public assets on a partly paid deferred basis, to charge interest on those parts of the sale left unpaid.
§ Mr. MooreThe interest benefit of a partly paid offer is reflected in the price investors are prepared to pay. Interest is, however, chargeable where payment of an instalment after the due date is accepted.