§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish figures showing the number of British Telecom shares held by shareholders whose registered addresses are in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c)Northern Ireland, (d) each of the regions of England, separately, and (e) abroad.
§ Mr. ButcherAn analysis of British Telecom shareholders' addresses to show the number of shares held in different parts of the United Kingdom could be achieved only at disproportionate cost. However, an up-to-date register of BT shareholders will be compiled in late spring, after the shares have ceased to trade in renounceable form, and this will be available for public inspection. Overseas purchasers in the separate issues in Japan, Canada and the United States accounted for 415 million shares at the time of the offer for sale. Around 149 million shares were allocated to overseas institutions, applying as priority applicants, in the United Kingdom issue.