§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the number of corporate insolvencies in 1988 and 1989, to date, in Britain; and in how many of those cases the companies in question received a going concern qualification in their last accounts prior to going into receivership.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe chief executive of Companies house tells me that in Great Britain in the financial year 1988–89, and up to 30 November in the current year, 1,252 and 1,367 companies were placed in receivership, and 13,900 and 9,056 in liquidation respectively.
No information is available on the number of companies who, in their last accounts prior to receivership or liquidation, received a going concern qualification from their auditors.