asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to ensure that all the accounts of state corporations are prepared on comparable bases that are consistent from year to year.

In so far as the hon. Member's Question relates to the nationalised industries I refer him to the statement by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury in the debate on 2nd August on Government policy regarding profits and accounting practices of nationalised industries. Similar considerations apply in the case of other public corporations, subject to the special circumstances of each of these.