§ 46. Mr. Ioan Evansasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he now has a figure available for the number of bankruptcies in 1983; and how this figure compares with the average level over the previous 10 years.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherThe provisional figure for 1983 in England and Wales is 7,000. The figure can only be compared with the years from 1977 because there was a break in continuity in the figures between 1976 and 1977. The 1983 provisional figure is 57 per cent. higher than the average for 1977–1982.
§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the number of people employed by companies which went bankrupt in the latest 252W year for which figures are available; what information he has as to the average wage of these former employees; and how many were married women.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherI regret that this information is not available.