European Business Survey

HC Deb 17 December 1996 vol 287 cc527-8W

Mrs. Roche

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department received a copy of Grant Thornton's spring 1996 European Business Survey; and what assessment he has made of the survey. [9281]

Mr. Page

My Department received a copy of Grant Thornton's 1996 "European Business Survey" when it was published in May of this year.

I welcome the survey and have noted its findings. The Government place great emphasis on listening to and responding to the views of business. Grant Thornton's "European Business Survey" is an important contribution to that process. It provides a comprehensive, comparative analysis of the opinions of small and medium-sized enterprises in 17 European countries, including the United Kingdom, on a wide range of issues relevant to their competitiveness.