§ Mr. David Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many businesses went into liquidation and how many new businesses were registered between 1 January 1980 and the last month for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Eyre[pursuant to his reply, 19 January 1981]: For the year 1980, provisional figures for England and Wales show 6,876 company liquidations—compulsory plus creditors' voluntary—and 4,000 bankruptcies and deeds of arrangement—for all individuals and partnerships.
The number of new companies registered in 1980 in England and Wales was 66,104. New sole traders and partnerships registered numbered 144,504, but as they only have to register if they intend to use names other than their own there is no comprehensive record of the number of unincorporated businesses started.