§ 14. Mr. Sydney Irvingasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the number of bankruptcies and of 10 companies which underwent compulsory liquidation, respectively, in 1962.
§ Mr. D. PriceThere were 4,145 bankruptcies and 718 compulsory liquidations.
§ Mr. IrvingIs the Parliamentary Secretary aware that those are the highest figures since the war? Is this an example of Tory freedom? Does he not think that there is some case for an investigation to see whether any pattern of instability could be identified which could be remedied or modified by Government or other action?
§ Mr. PriceIf the hon. Member were to examine the annual report of bankruptcies, he would see a breakdown by classes of business. There have been substantial increases in bankruptcies in many classes of businesses, but I think that he will find it difficult to draw conclusions from those variations. Of course, it might be said that under the present Government conditions are more competitive.