§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of profits made in excess of those implied by the financial target have been paid by the Post Office to Her Majesty's Government in each year since 1980.
§ Mr. PattieAll post-tax profits earned by the Post Office's postal business in the years since 1980 have been retained within the business but cash surpluses required by the external financing limits set by the Government, although retained within the business's balance sheet, have been loaned to other parts of the public sector. In the years from 1980–81 to 1985–86, cash surpluses totalled £316.5 million compared with aggregate negative external financing limits of £256.8 million.