§ Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will detail the number of small firms as a percentage of all firms in the following industrial sectors for each year since 1945; manufacturing, retailing, wholesale trades, construction, mining/quarrying, motor trades, miscellaneous services, road transport and catering.
Mr. Alan WilliamsIt would not be possible to extract the information requested without disproportionate cost. It is not in any case available for all years since 1945.
§ Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will set out a table to compare the proportion of manufacturing employment in small establishments and small enterprises in Great Britain and other countries.
Mr. Alan WilliamsThe Department has no statistics on which a reliable comparison can be made. The Bolton Committee drew attention to the difficulties of making such international comparisons.
§ Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Secretary of State for Industry what studies his Department has undertaken to investigate the impact on the small firm sector of the United Kingdom joining the EEC.
Mr. Alan WilliamsNo special studies have been undertaken since the United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community.
§ Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Secretary of State for Industry what studies have been undertaken about the small business sector in Japan, as suggested by the Bolton Report in 1971.
Mr. Alan WilliamsMy Department has taken steps to ensure that it is fully informed of the position of the small business sector in Japan and of Japanese Government policy towards it.
§ Mr. Geraint Howellsasked the Secretary of State for Industry what statistical definitions his Department uses for small firms operating in the manufacturing, retailing, wholesale trades, construction, mining/quarrying, motor trades, miscellaneous 276W services, road transport and catering sectors.
Mr. Alan WilliamsThe Department adopted the statistical definition of small firms originated by the Bolton Committee as follows:
Industry and Statistical Definition
- Manufacturing—200 employees or less.
- Retailing—turnover £50,000 per anum or less.
- Wholesale trades—turnover £200,000 per annum or less.
- Construction—25 employees or less.
- Mining/Quarrying—25 employees or less.
- Motor trades—turnover £100,000 per annum or less.
- Miscellaneous services—turnover £50,000 per annum or less.
- Road transport—5 vehicles or less.
- Catering—all excluding multiples and brewery-managed public houses.
In a recent scheme offering assistance to small firms the Department has in general doubled the turnover limits to take account of inflation.