asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the proportion of industry, including transport and public utilities, now under public ownership; and the basis upon which this estimate is calculated.

On the basis of the total number of employees in industry, transport and communications in Great Britain at the middle of 1948, industries under public ownership at the present time represent about 17 per cent. of the total. The inclusion of gas, iron and steel and the balance of road transport would raise the percentage under public ownership to about 21or 22.