§ Mr. Gordon Brownasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many business failures have been reported in each year since 1979.
§ Mr. HowardThe information is as follows:
107W
Year England and Wales Scotland Company liquidations Bankruptcies Company liquidations Sequestrations (equivalent of bankruptcies) 1983 13,406 7,032 521 282 1984 13,721 8,229 523 292 1985* 14,895 6,772 537 298 * Provisional. Bankruptcy and sequestration figures include receiving orders and administration orders and the total is the net number of cases administered after consolidations and rescisions. They relate to all individuals and partnerships and it is estimated that unincorporated businesses account for between 75 and 80 per cent. of the total.