Start-up Rates

HC Deb 08 July 2003 vol 408 cc747-8W

Mrs Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the start-up rate for businesses is in(a) Merseyside, (b) the North West and (c) England. [124440]

Nigel Griffiths

Business start-ups are measured officially by VAT registrations. The latest year for which VAT registration data is available is 2001.

VAT Registrations 2001
	Number	Rate per 10,000 adults
England	154,280	39
North West	17,565	32
Merseyside Metropolitan County1	13,370	30
1 Excludes Halton UA

Source:

Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de registrations 1980–2001, Small Business Service.