HC Deb 23 November 1983 vol 49 cc159-61W
Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is satisfied that the Government are complying with Community directive 68/151 article 3 paragraph 3.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

Yes.

passenger motor cars imported from and exported to non-European Community countries, together with the ratio of imports to exports.

Mr. Channon

The information is as follows:

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the costs of the materials used to produce one microfiche of the type used to carry company records at the companies registration office.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

Less than 1p.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in the case of inquirers who ask the Registrar of Companies for copies of certified and uncertified company records on photostat, such copies are of original documents or printouts from microfiche copies; and, in the case of the latter, what use is made of the microfiche copy after photostating.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

Such copies are normally produced from microfiche copies of original documents; the microfiche copies are then destroyed.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reply his Department makes to inquirers who write to the Registrar of Companies asking for uncertified microfiche copies of company records to be sent to them by post.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

The registrar at present offers to provide photostat copies of individual documents at a charge which covers the cost.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Registrar of Companies met the request of Mr. Edwin Fleming of Liverpool for the postal supply of microfiche records of Radio City, Sound of Merseyside on what date the registrar replied; how he proposed to provide the information by post; and what charge was proposed.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

Mr. Fleming was offered, on 5 August 1983, photostat copies of each document delivered by the company in question, to be sent by post at a total cost of £53.70p.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the returns sent by individual companies to the Registrar of Companies in Cardiff are filed for storage in individual company files or by a system based on the date of microfilming; and for how long the present system of filing paper returns has been in operation.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

Documents relating to the formation or dissolution of a company, the appointment of a receiver or liquidator, or the registration of charges and memoranda of satisfaction are still placed on individual company files. Since 19 December 1980, all other documents have been retained separately in order of the date of receipt.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the maximum numbers of pages which may be shown on each microfiche used for storing company records at the companies registration office; and if he will indicate, in the case of an average size company the number of microfiche used to carry its records.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

The microfiche used can contain the images of 48 or 60 pages. The average number of microfiches currently held for each company is 5.2.

Mr. Campbell-Savours

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce a postal sales service on company information from the companies registration office direct to inquirers by post.

Mr. Alexander Fletcher

Yes. From a date that I shall announce shortly the offices at Cardiff and Edinburgh will supply by post microfiches, uncertified photostat copies of particular documents or certified copies.

Forward to