§ Mr. Matherasked the Secretary of State for Trade on what date the fee for filing company accounts with the Registrar of Companies was increased; by what amount it was increased; what percentage increase this represents; and what was the percentage increase in inflation over the same period.
§ Mr. Clinton DavisA fee of £20 is required on the registration of a copy of an annual return. The fee was increased to this level in June 1975 having previously, since 1967, been set at £3 which compares with a charge of £5 recommended by the Jenkins Committee in 1962. This increase of 567 per cent compares with a rise of 121 per cent in the retail price index over the same period; but, as I explained to the House at the time, part of the increase was designed to discourage moribund or completely inactive companies from remaining on the register.