Public Ownership

Mr. Bernie Grant
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the net return to the Exchequer at 1993 prices in their last full year in public ownership of British Gas, British Telecom, the British National Oil Corporation, Enterprise Oil, and each of the nationalised electricity generating and distribution undertakings.

Mr. Dorrell
The net return to the Exchequer, defined as the negative external financing requirement in each case, at 1993–94 prices was as follows: ---------------------------
|                         |
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|British Gas (1986–87)    |
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|British Telecom (1984–85)|
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|Enterprise Oil (1984–85) |
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British National Oil Corporation had a positive external financing requirement of £48 million in its last year in public ownership—1985–86—in 1993–94 prices.Comparable figures for the individual electricity companies are not available.