§ 28. Mr. William Priceasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms have gone into bankruptcy in 1971.
§ Sir J. EdenThe number of receiving orders and orders of administration made in England and Wales from January to October, 1971, was 3,822 and the number of compulsory and creditors' voluntary liquidations of companies in the same period was 2,868.
§ Mr. PriceWhat happened to the confidence which was supposed to flow into industry as a result of a Tory Government?
§ Sir J. Edenrose—
§ Mr. PriceThe speed with which the Minister rises to answer my supplementary question means that he has what he considers to be a good answer ready.
Is it not clear that right hon. and hon. Gentlemen opposite have proved to be a disaster both to their own supporters and to ours? Is it not apparent that the appointment of the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Ridley) as Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to look after small businesses is the ultimate insult?
§ Sir J. EdenI would have said that the hon. Gentleman had his supplementary question ready before he heard my answer. In any event, the reduction in numbers this year is associated with improved profitability and easier credit conditions.
§ Mr. NormantonWould my hon. Friend agree that smaller firms suffered far more than large public companies as a result of five or six years of Socialist Administration?
§ Sir J. EdenYes, Sir. My hon. Friend is right. Most of the businesses which failed were small, and for such businesses the risk of failure appears to have been lower this year than last year.