§ Mr. Ralph HowellTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total number of people employed in each of the following organisations in 1979 and at the time each organisation was privatised(a) British Aerospace, (b) Cable and Wireless, (c) Britoil and Associated British Ports, (d) Enterprise Oil, (e) British Telecom, (f) British Gas, (g) British Airways and (h) Trust Ports (GB).
§ Mr. Norman LamontThe information is as follows:
Numbers employed 000s Mid-1979 At time of privatization British Aerospace 73 73 Cable and Wireless 1.9 2.0 Britoil 1.. 2.5 Associated British Ports 11 10 Enterprise Oil 2.. negligible British Telecom 240 240 British Gas 103 89 British Airways 58 36 Trust Ports (GB) 17 10 .. Not available. 1 Britoil commenced trading on 1 August 1982, previously being part of the British National Oil Corporation. Total numbers employed in the latter organisation at mid-1979 were 1,400. 2 Enterprise Oil became a nationalised industry on 1 September 1983 previously being part of British Gas. Numbers employed at the time of privatisation were negligible.