§ Mr. Proctorasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will exempt companies employing fewer than 100 employees from completing the form "Purchases Inquiry—PP4754".
§ Mr. David Mitchell[pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1980, c. 491]: Regretfully no. I reviewed the arrangements for the 1979 purchases inquiry last year and decided that the level of employment below which all firms are exempted be raised from 35 to 50. I am satisfied that the burden has been reduced as much as possible and to raise the exemption limit further would lead to an unacceptable loss of quality in the results which are necessary in order to update the basis of one of the wholesale price indices.