§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in which department requests which arise at Companies house satellite offices for individual company records on microfiche are dealt with.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe majority of search requests made in the satellite offices are satisfied by Companies house in London.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry where microfiche records paid for at a Companies house satellite office to be sent to the inquirer's office or home are posted.
§ Mr. RedwoodMicrofiche records requested and paid for in Companies house's satellite offices are not posted on to customers' offices or homes.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what system is used to transport company microfiche requested at satellite offices from Cardiff to those offices; and if this system is more expensive or cheaper to operate than if the same packets were sent to the satellites by Royal Mail.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe system used to transport search requests to the satellite offices is operated by Britdoc Ltd. trading as British Document Exchange. This system is 50 per cent. cheaper than first-class post per item and 33 per cent. cheaper than second-class post.