HC Deb 15 November 1982 vol 32 c35W
Mr. Murphy

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress has been made in providing incentives to encourage small businesses to set up and expand; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. MacGregor

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 25 October to my hon. Friend the Member for Reading, North (Mr. Durant).—[Vol. 29, c. 725–26.] Many of the measures referred to in that answer provide incentives to encourage small businesses to set up and expand. I am sending my hon. Friend the full list and copies are also available in the Library. I am constantly looking at ways to help further.

Sir David Price

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list in the Official Report all the measures currently in force to assist small businesses; and what each one is budgeted to cost in the current financial year.

Mr. MacGregor

The Government have introduced nearly 100 measures in order to assist and improve the climate for small businesses. The list of measures runs to nine pages of foolscap and I have therefore made copies of the list available in the Library. Copies can also be obtained from my Department's Small Firms Service and I have forwarded a copy to my hon. Friend.

It would not be possible to cost every measure. Some of them assist large as well as small firms; others are unquantifiable or depend heavily on the degree of take-up.