HC Deb 06 December 1988 vol 143 cc137-8W
28. Mr. Carrington

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the British Venture Capital Association to discuss investment in small businesses.

Mr. Cope

I met Mr. John Nash, chairman of the British Venture Capital Association, when I opened the British Venture Capital Association financial forum on 1 December.

32. Mr. Bright

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his proposals to improve the skills of entrepreneurs running small businesses.

Mr. Cope

The White Paper "Employment for the 1990s" published by my right hon. Friend describes new arrangements for delivering training, including that for entrepreneurs, and for the small firms service. This will lead to closer co-ordination of counselling and training for small firms. They are closely related activities and both will benefit.

38. Mr. Boswell

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the new registrations for value added tax by small businesses in 1980 and 1987.

Mr. Cope

The figures for numbers of VAT-registered businesses, new registrations and deregistrations are as follows:

Business registrations, deregistrations and stocks in the United Kingdom: 1980–87
Thousand
1980
Stock at start of year 1,289
Registrations 158
Deregistrations 142
1980
Net change 16
Stock at end of year 1,305
Note: The pattern of registrations and deregistrations may have been affected by disturbances in the regular processing of register amendments because of industrial action in 1979.

51. Mr. French

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many small firms were registered for value added tax on 31 December 1987; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Cope

It is estimated that approximately 1,513,000 businesses were registered for VAT on 31 December 1987, and that some 96 per cent. of these firms are small.

91. Mr. Bellingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to meet the director-general of the Institute of Directors to discuss the development of small businesses.

Mr. Cope

Both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet the director-general of the Institute of Directors frequently.

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