§ Mr. MacKenzieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many small firms, as defined by the Bolton committee, went out of business during the course of the last 12 months to the latest convenient date;
(2) how many small firms, as defined by the Bolton committee, were set up in Scotland during the course of the last 12 months to the latest convenient date;
(3) how many small firms, as defined by the Bolton committee, presently exist in Scotland.
§ Mr. RifkindComprehensive information on small firms is not available. Information for the period 1980–83 for Scotland and the other regions of the United Kingdom on the stock of firms registered for value added tax and changes in the stock by size of turnover was published in "British Business" on 2 November 1984. Similar information for the United Kingdom for 1984 was published in articles in "British Business" on 23 August and 22 November 1985. Copies of these articles have been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. MacKenzieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many small firms in Scotland, falling within the Bolton committee definition, have received regional development grants and other forms of financial assistance from his Department in the last 12 months; and how much money was involved;
(2) how many small firms were given assistance by the Scottish Economic Planning Department and others of his Department in the course of the last 12 months to the latest convenient date; and how much money was involved.
§ Mr. RifkindDuring the financial year 1985–86, 64 offers of regional selective assistance were accepted by small firms in Scotland with fewer than 200 employees. The total value of these offers was £4.3 million. In the same period, applications by 1,320 small firms in Scotland for new regional development grants were approved. The total value of these proposals was £36.6 million. Both types of assistance are administered by the Industry Department for Scotland. I regret that information in the form requested is not readily available for other forms of assistance administered by my Department.
§ Mr. MacKenzieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many small firms were given financial assistance by the Scottish Development Agency in the course of the last 12 months to the latest convenient date; and how much money was involved.
§ Mr. RifkindIn the financial year 1985–86 the Scottish Development Agency offered finance with a total30W estimated value of around £14 million to firms with fewer than 100 employees. There were about 1,200 such offers, but some firms may have been offered assistance under more than one scheme.