§ Mr. Brightasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will reduce the number of questions asked of firms selected for participation in the quarterly inquiry into manufacturers' sales.
§ Mr. David MitchellWe are now achieving this purpose by using "personalised" inquiry forms, which seek to ask businesses only those few questions which are likely to be applicable to them.
§ Mr. Brightasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will exempt a significant proportion of small firms from the statistical questionnaire forming the quarterly inquiry into manufacturers' sales.
§ Mr. David MitchellI have decided that for the 1981 inquiry we shall raise the small firm exemption in employment terms by sufficient to reduce the number 643W of firms required to respond by about one-third.