HC Deb 12 May 2004 vol 421 cc445-6W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses have(a) registered and (b) deregistered for VAT in each year since 1997 in each local authority area in East Sussex. [169849]

Nigel Griffiths

Barclays Bank's latest survey of business creation includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 1,100 in East Sussex County, in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 4,700 business start-ups in East Sussex County in 2003. Data for each local authority in East Sussex County are not published by Barclays. Barclays start-up data for counties in England and Wales have only been published for 2003. Barclays closure data for counties in England and Wales have not been published.

DTI figures for VAT registrations and de-registrations for each local authority in East Sussex County are shown below for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.

VAT registrations: 1997–2002
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
East Sussex
 County 1,745 1,605 1,610 1,575 1,535 1,540
Eastbourne 255 215 240 210 235 215
Hastings 195 180 200 205 185 205
Lewes 355 335 290 275 285 280
Rother 335 290 285 285 265 275
Wealden 610 585 590 595 565 565
Source:
Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service

VAT de-registrations: 1997–2002
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
East Sussex
 County 1,435 1,335 1,430 1,430 1,475 1,475
Eastbourne 225 200 205 210 195 235
Hastings 170 180 170 170 175 190
Lewes 260 260 255 265 280 230
Rother 265 230 300 285 290 315
Wealden 510 460 500 500 535 505
Source:
Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service

VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.