§ Miss Wrightasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many firms in (a) Birmingham and (b) the West Midlands went bankrupt in the year ended 31 March 1979; and how many went bankrupt in the year ended 31 March 1980.
§ Mr. EyreThe number of receiving and administration orders (which relate to individuals and partnerships) administered by the relevant county courts are as follows:
Birmingham 1978 78 1979 88 West Midlands County (including Birmingham) 1978 179 1979 153 Such figures can only be produced with any degree of accuracy on the annual basis. 528W his reply dated 1 April concerning the volume and unit value for exports of machinery by user, he will publish corresponding figures for the fourth quarter of 1976 and for the first quarter of 1980 together with the terms of trade and relative volume for these quarters and for each of the years 1970 to 1979 for each group.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe information requested is as follows:
There are no figures available of the number of company liquidations by area.
§ Miss Wrightasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list, in tabular form, of the bankruptcies notified to his Department in the years ended 31 March 1979 and 31 March 1980 how many firms employed fewer than 10 people, how many employed between 10 and 50 people, how many employed between 50 and 100 people, how many employed between 100 and 500 people and how many employed over 500 people.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many bankruptcies and company insolvencies there have been (a) in the latest three months for which figures are available and (b) since the beginning of 1980; and 529W how the figures projected as annual totals, compare with the annual totals for each of the years 1970 to 1979.
Actual Seasonally adjusted Annual rates(a) Bankruptcies(b) March—May … … … … … 1,028 1,011 4,044 January—May … … … … 1,591 1,538 3,691 Company liquidations(c) March-May … … … … … 1,700 1,556 6,224 January-May … … … … 2,597 2,493 5,983 Annual figures were published in "British Business", 30 May, page 71, in one of a series of quarterly articles on insolvencies and, although comparisons are difficult for reasons explained in the publication referred to, it can be seen that the annual figures vary between the lowest annual total figures recorded in that period, which are:
1973 Bankruptcies (b) 3,917 Company Liquidations (c) 2,575 and the highest, which are: 1976 Bankruptcies (b) 7,207 Company Liquidations (c) 5,939 (a) Based on seasonally adjusted data. (b) Bankruptcies relate to individuals and partnerships; deeds of arrangement are included as well as receiving and administration orders. (c) Compulsory plus creditors' voluntary liquidations.