55. Mr. Ron Brownasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many United Kingdom companies were taken into receivership or liquidated during 1984; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HowardThe number of company liquidations in the United Kingdom in 1984 was 14,327. Compulsory liquidations and creditors' voluntary liquidations are included. Nevertheless, the stock of UK businesses registered for VAT has risen in each of the last five years: in 1984 there were 177 thousand business starts compared with 140 thousand stops for all reasons.