HC Deb 03 April 1996 vol 275 c309W
Ms Jowell

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total number of new businesses with fewer than 100 employees established in each of the last four years, and how many were set up by women. [22793]

Mr. Page

Figures of the number of businesses registered for VAT for 1992 to 1994, the latest year for which date are available, are given in the table:

Number of VAT registrations in the United Kingdom 1992–1994
Year VAT registrations (thousand)
1992 187
19931 191
19941 190

Note:

1 Figures for 1993 and 1994 include adjustments to allow for the increase in the VAT threshold in November 1993

Source:

DTI Small Firms Statistics Unit.

About 45 per cent. of all businesses are VAT registered, so the total number of start-ups can be expected to be around double the number of new registrations.

Almost all new businesses will have fewer than 100 employees. Research by Barclays bank plc found that women accounted for 27 per cent. of start-ups in 1995, compared with around 25 per cent. earlier in the 1990s.

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