HC Deb 24 January 1983 vol 35 cc259-60W
Mr. Knox

asked the Minister for Trade (1) to what extent information collected by his Department concerning business insolvencies is analysed by reference to (a) type of business, (b) location and (c) the circumstances of insolvency;

(2) what information is collected and analysed by his Department concerning (a) the formation of new businesses and (b) the liquidation of existing businesses.

Dr. Vaughan

Figures of births and deaths of businesses are published inBritish Business based on VAT registrations and deregistrations. They are analysed by sector of trade and region of the country. Provisional estimates for 1981 and revised estimates for 1980 were published on 23 July 1982, and by region on 24 September 1982.

Summary figures of bankruptcies and company liquidations in England and Wales appear monthly in British Business, the latest on 21 January. More detailed figures for England and Wales—bankruptcies, compulsory and creditors' voluntary liquidations, and an industry analysis—appear quarterly, the next on 28 January. The numbers of bankruptcies handled by the High Court and each county court are included in a general annual report entitled 'Bankruptcy'. Monthly figures of this type are also available but are not published because they are less reliable and not on the same basis.

For Scotland, monthly figures of compulsory and creditors' voluntary liquidations, including an industry analysis, are received from companies registration office in Edinburgh. Monthly figures of sequestrations—the equivalent in Scotland of bankruptcies in English law—without industrial analysis, are received from the Accountant of Court, Edinburgh. Annual figures for company liquidations and sequestrations are published in the "Annual Abstract of Statistics" and an industry analysis of company liquidations is included in the annual report "Companies in (Year)".

Quarterly figures for compulsory and creditors' voluntary liquidations in Northern Ireland are available from the companies registry in Belfast. Annual figures are published in the "Annual Abstract of Statistics"; no industry analysis is available. Bankruptcy figures by industry are received annually from the Official Assignee, Belfast; totals only are published in the "Annual Abstract of Statistics".

To avoid risk of delay to the quarterly publication of the information for England and Wales, the comparatively small figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are omitted.

There is no official analysis of company liquidations by individual area within England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. It would not be possible, without considerable expense, to analyse the records of insolvent companies to identify those whose registered offices are situated in a particular area. In any case, the address of the registered office is not always a good indication of the location of trading activities. There is no analysis made of the circumstances of insolvency. Copies of the publications referred to are in the Library.

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