Mr. Howellasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 6 December, Official Report, c. 89, concerning the return on capital in nationalised industries, why it is not possible to provide information for each industry on a comparable basis, and why figures are not available after 1981.
§ Mr. Peter ReesFigures for nationalised industry rates of return which have been published in recent years and which are comparable industry to industry and against the economy as a whole have been based on national accounts statistics. Such statistics are calculated by reference to the standard industrial classification rather than by reference to individual companies and the detail available relates only to all public corporations in a particular industry.
The information required for the calculation of nationalised industry rates of return is produced by further analysis of the published national accounts data. In order to take account of the best information for the industry breakdown, this analysis is carried out after the preparation of the full national accounts for a particular year. The analysis of the 1982 accounts has been complicated by a change in the standard industrial classification and the figures necessary for the calculation of nationalised industry rates of return are only becoming available now.
A table of rates of return on capital employed for 1982, based on the revised standard industrial classifications, is being prepared and I shall send a copy to my hon. Friend as soon as it is available.
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in relation to part 9, section A.1 of the AR 11 of the Britannia building society for 1981, it complied with section 21(7) of the Building Societies' Act 1962 in respect of transfer of mortgage between Villagate and Jovine Ltd.
§ Mr. Ian StewartThe Chief Registrar has been advised that on the evidence available to him the transfer of property, subject to mortgage, between Villagate Properties Ltd. and Jovine Estate Holdings Ltd. did not fall within section 21(7) of the Building Societies Act 1962.
164W
§ Mr. Weetchasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the past amendments in respect of the Britannia building society relating to special advances were volunteered by the society to the registrar or elicited in the course of his statutory prudential supervision.
§ Mr. Ian StewartAs my predecessor explained to the hon. Member, it would be contrary to the public interest to give information related to the monitoring by the registry of individual societies, except where the Chief Registrar has used his statutory powers to restrict the operations of a society, or following the appointment of inspectors.