§ Mr. Baldryasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the cost to the taxpayer for each job supported in BL plc over the last year.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonBL employs 80,000 people worldwide. There has been no direct Government funding to the company in the current financial year, although it received a total of £2.2 billion in the period 1975–83. In addition, the Government have said that they will ensure that the obligations of BL are met. These obligations amounted to about £1.6 billion at the end of 1985.
The BL board made it clear in its 1984 annual report that in future BL's funding needs will be met from a combination of operating cashflow, the proceeds of a progressive return of the constituent businesses of the BL group to private ownership and from private borrowings.