§ Mr. Anthony Grantasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in the Official Report the forms required by his Department or organisations for which he is responsible to be completed by firms with less than 200 employees or turnover of less than £500,000 per annum, the frequency with which such forms are required, the number of questions asked and the use to which the information so obtained is put; and what steps he is taking to reduce such form filling.
§ Mr. CroslandI regret that the wide-ranging information requested cannot be provided without disproportionate cost. I can however assure the hon. Member that every effort is made to keep form-filling burdens to a minimum, and that sampling methods are used extensively for enquiries directed to smaller firms.