§ Mr. Roweasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many business ventures have been started with the assistance of the enterprise allowance since its inception; and whether he has any figures to indicate their likely success or failure.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkBy 23 January 1984 almost 26,000 people had been accepted on to the enterprise allowance scheme. The number of individual business ventures assisted is lower than this because some are partnerships involving more than one enterprise allowance recipient. Experience in the pilot areas suggests that almost 90 per cent. of those joining the scheme remain on it for the full 12-month period. Follow-up inquiries suggest that about three quarters of these are still in business some months after the termination of the allowance, and that a significant number are employing others in their businesses.