§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further plans he has for privatising publicly-owned enterprises; and if he will publish a list of any such proposals and of the proposed dates of implementation.
§ Mr. FletcherMy right hon. Friend plans to return to the private sector as many as possible of the publicly-owned enterprises for which he is responsible.
The privatisation of British Telecom will be completed very shortly. British Shipbuilders has embarked on the sale of all its warship building interests, aiming to make 550W substsantial progress by 31 March 1985 and for completion by 31 March 1986. One part of BL Jaguar, has already been successfully returned to the private sector; our objective is that all parts of BL should he so returned. Further privatisation within BL will be one of the subjects covered in the 1985 corporate plan which we expect to receive shortly.
The British Steel Corporation has a continuing programme of disposal of its non-mainstream business and the creation of joint venture companies with the private sector. Our aim is to restore BSC's bulk steel business to profitability with a view to its return to the private sector in due course.
The British Technology Group will continue to dispose of its equity investments as soon as commercially practicable.
We aim to return Rolls-Royce to profitability with a view to its privatisation within the lifetime of this Parliament. We have no immediate plans for the privatisation of the Post Office's activities.