§ Mr. Barry Porterasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many official forms are issued by his Department; and how this compares with 1979.
§ Mr. ButcherThe total number of administrative forms issued to the public and businesses is not recorded. My Department currently has about 3,000 different types of administrative forms which are for use by the public or businesses. Corresponding figures for 1979 are not available. However, in the first year following the publication of "Administrative Forms in Government" (Cmnd. 8504) in February 1982, 735 forms were reviewed of which 136 were abolished. The review of forms used by my Department is continuing. Figures relating to progress from February this year to April 1985 should be available in May next year.