§ Mr. Wakehamasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how many applications to register a business name have been received in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available by the Registrar of Business Names for England and Wales, the Registrar of Business Names for Scotland and the Registrar of Business Names for Northern Ireland, respectively;
1. NUMBER OF ACCEPTED APPLICATIONS TO REGISTER A BUSINESS NAME England and Wales Scotland Northern Ireland includes changes and cessations) 1969 … … … 73,604 2,667 750 1970 … … … 75,981 2,805 729 1971 … … … 75,864 2,864 675 1972 … … … 92,250 3,456 706 1973 … … … 100,800 4,025 894 1974 … … … 86,600 4,040 718 1975 … … … 91,555 3,989 815 1976 … … … 102,645 4,737 973 1977 … … … 111,023 5,207 1,190 1978 (first 48 weeks) … … … 125,679 5,510 1,391
II TOTAL RECEIPTS IN RESPECT OF FEES England and Wales Scotland Northern Ireland Financial year £ £ Calendar year £ 1973–74 … … 122,060 5,304 1974 168 1974–75 … … 110,453 5,130 1975 182 1975–76 … … 117,756 5,940 1976 225 1976–77 … … 135,389 7,288 1977 274 1977–78 … … 139,256 7,364 1978* 354 *To 30th November.
III. TOTAL RUNNING COST England and Wales Scotland Northern Ireland Financial year £ £ Calendar year £ 1973–74 … … 216,476 7,062 1974 3,415 1974–75 … … 303,311 9,782 1975 3,755 1975–76 … … 362,732 10,873 1976 4,132 1976–77 … … 508,354 11,686 1977 4,545 1977–78 … … 740,962 12,493 1978* 5,000 *To 30th November.
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IV. AVERAGE NUMBER OF STAFF EMPLOYED Financial year England and Wales Scotland Northern Ireland 1973–74 … … … … … 52 2 1 1974–75 … … … … … 51 2 1 1975–76 … … … … … 51 2 1 1976–77 … … … … … 69 2 1 1977–78 … … … … … 75 2 1 (2) what was the total income of the Registrars of Business Names for England and Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
(3) what was the total cost of running the Registrars of Business Names for England and Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
(4) what has been the average number of staff employed by the Registrars of Business Names for England and Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Clinton Davis:In providing the information requested by the hon. Member I should point out that my right hon. Friend has no responsibility for the operations of the Registrar of Business Names in Belfast.
The relevant figures are as follows: