§ Mr. GregoryTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies currently operate a profit-sharing share scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardOf 1,943 all-employee share schemes approved by the Inland Revenue up to 30 April 1991, 966 were profit-sharing schemes. Any such scheme254W may relate to one or more companies, and I regret that information about the total number of companies covered is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
In the year to 31 March 1990, shares worth £380 million were appropriated under approved profit sharing schemes to 850,000 employees.