HC Deb 10 December 1959 vol 615 cc727-8
21. Mr. Shinwell

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms engaged in industry have been declared bankrupt in the period from January, 1955, to the last available date.

Mr. Erroll

As the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Shinwell

Why should the hon. Gentleman be so reticent about these figures? Are they so staggering? Do they indicate the failure that exists in private enterprise industrial firms? Cannot the hon. Gentleman give me some information?

Mr. Erroll

I was very tempted to read out the figures, because they are very good ones, but I did not want to bore the House with them. If the House would like them, however, I should be very glad to give them.

Mr. Shinwell

If there are such a lot of figures, does not the hon. Gentleman agree that something is seriously wrong with private enterprise in the United Kingdom?

Mr. Erroll

No. Between 1955 and 1958 the figures have fallen from 130 to 117.

Following is the Answer:

The figures for the period in question of compulsory liquidations of companies which were engaged in industry are the following:

1955 … … … 130
1956 … … … 109
1957 … … … 104
1958 … … … 117
1959 (to date) … … … 90*
*This figure is subject to confirmation.

22. Mr. Shinwell

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many persons and companies engaged in agriculture have been declared bankrupt in the period from January, 1955, to the last available date.

Mr. Erroll

As the Answer contains tables of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Shinwell

Was the hon. Gentleman fair to the House when he gave the figures? Does not he know that these are not the actual figures of bankruptcies in industry? Will he say why we should continue to subsidise the farming industry, in spite of bankruptcies? Where do these subsidies go?

Mr. Erroll

The figures in the last Question relate to the compulsory liquidations of companies and the figures in the present Question relate to compulsory liquidations of companies engaged in agriculture and bankruptcies of persons engaged in agriculture. In both cases the figures show a most encouraging trend.

Following is the Answer:

Compulsory liquidations of companies engaged in agriculture Bankruptcies of persons engaged in agriculture
1955 … nil 1955 … 201
1956 … 10 1956 … 190
1957 … 4 1957 … 200
1958 … 6 1958 … 165
1959 (to date) … 2 1959 (to date) … 141
22 897