§ 59. Mr. Fernyhoughasked the President of the Board of Trade how many companies or firms have gone into voluntary liquidation during the last 10 years; what was the total deficit involved; how many of them were registered as co-operative societies; and what was the loss involved in the latter.
§ Mrs. Gwyneth DunwoodyThe following is the information:
The number of voluntary liquidations of companies in England and Wales of which the Board has cognisance in each of the 10 last complete years are:
Year Members'* Creditors' Total 1959 2,564 894 3,458 1960 2,689 1,038 3,727 1961 2,843 1,234 4,077 1962 2,713 1,478 4,191 1963 2,987 1,468 4,455 1964 3,051 1,383 4,434 1965 4,073 1,796 5,869 1966 8,190 2,322 10,512 1967 4,908 2,235 7,143 1968 6,108 2,109 8,217 * Members' voluntary liquidations are by definition of solvent companies. Statistics are not available as to the total of deficits involved and to ascertain this figure would involve an undue expense of time and effort.
The above figures do not include any co-operative societies. The following are figures of voluntary windings-up of con- 88W sumer retail co-operatives under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts.
Year Members' Creditors' Total 1959 … 1 — 1 1960 … — 1 1 1961 … — — — 1962 … 1 — 1 1963 … 1 — 1 1964 … — — — 1965 … — — — 1966 … — — — 1967 … 3 1 4 1968 … 6 — 6 Statistics of deficits are not available.