Small Firms

HC Deb 28 April 1981 vol 3 c645

15. Mr. Peter Lloyd

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied that he has now reduced the quantity of information required by his Department from small firms to the minimum necessary and that all the information still required is being put to positive use.

Mr. Waddington

I am proposing to make further substantial reductions in the forms sent to small firms. These arise from the review of statistical services in the Department of Employment and Manpower Services Commission, which is part of the review of the Government statistical service co-ordinated by Sir Derek Rayner.

Mr. Lloyd

I am encouraged that my hon. and learned Friend is persisting in this important matter. Is he aware that, judging by the trailers emanating from his own Department, the forthcoming EEC labour costs survey looks like undoing much of his good work? Will he undertake to ensure that this very large survey is reduced to useful and sensible proportions?

Mr. Waddington

I assure my hon. Friend that we are looking into this matter very carefully. The labour costs survey, which has been in existence for some time, provides information on total labour costs, not just wages and salaries, and the information is used in conjunction with the European regional and social funds, so it must not be forgotten that this country gains some advantages from the information thereby provided. The sample has been much reduced, the form has been simplified, and we are negotiating with the Community to make the survey less frequent.

Mr. Skinner

Is the Minister aware that there were about 7,000 firms which last year would have liked to have a piece of paper, however weighty, pushed through the letterbox, but that because of the Government's actions with regard to those industries, small and large, all of them are now bankrupt?

Mr. Waddington

It is not easy to see the connection between the hon. Gentleman's question and what we are now discussing. If my right hon. and hon. Friends are right when they say that business—and small business in particular—has suffered from too much bureaucracy, it is good news that since coming into office we have cut down substantially the form filling which has to be done by business.