§ Mr. Brightasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is he will publish the reports of Robson and Rhodes on the small businesses loan guarantee scheme.
§ Mr. TrippierI have today published the two reports prepared by Robson Rhodes. The main report follows an in-depth study of 150 borrowers under the LGS, 100 of which were surviving businesses and 50 were the subject of a claim under the guarantee arrangements. This report builds on an earlier study by Robson Rhodes on some early LGS claims which was published in March 1983. The other report is a commentary by Robson Rhodes on a third sample telephone survey of 100 scheme borrowers conducted by the economics division of the Department of Trade and Industry. Both reports were commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry and funded jointly by the Department and the London and Scottish clearing banks.
The reports provide a great deal of information on the way in which the scheme has been operating to date, and they have provided an important input into my current review. The reports are far reaching and I would strongly 563W urge anyone who is interested in small businesses to read them in full. Many of the recommendations go much wider than just the LGS and their comments cover other areas of small firms policy. It is encouraging that Robson Rhodes considers the scheme to have been a worthwhile experiment, but I will want to take full account of their comments, criticisms and recommendations as I finalise my review. Copies of the Robson Rhodes reports have been made available in the Library of the House. Further copies may be obtained from the Department of Trade and Industry library, 1 Victoria street, London SW1.