§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many(a) small businesses, (b) medium-sized businesses and (c) large businesses are registered as employers in Wales;
(2) what is the definition in terms of members employed of (a) a small business, (b) a medium-sized business and (c) a large business registered in Wales.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThere is no single, accepted definition of small, medium or large businesses in terms of their employment. However, a breakdown of census of employment data units in Wales over a wide range of employment size bands is as follows:
Numbers of Census of Employment Data Units with employees in Wales: September 1987 Size of units (Number of employees) Number of units1 (thousands) 1 to 10 36.2 11 to 24 7.7 25 to 49 2.9 50 to 99 1.4 100 to 199 0.8 200 to 499 0.4 500 to 999 0.2 1,000 or more 0.1 All sizes 49.7 1 The figures relate only to data units with employees. Sole proprietors and Her Majesty's Forces are excluded. Also excluded are agriculture and horticulture holdings. Some worksites may comprise several data units because of the way the information is collected eg because of different pay arrangements for weekly and monthly paid staff. Source: 1987 Census of Employment.
§ Dr. Kim HowellsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many small businesses in Wales have taken advantage of the services offered by the business improvement scheme and the enterprise initiative with respect to preparations for the single market in 1992.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerA total of 2,362 Welsh companies have applied for assistance under the enterprise initiative 567W consultancy schemes, of which 2,208 have benefited from the initial business review. Since June 1989, the business review has automatically included specific questions and guidance on the implications of the single European market.
The enterprise initiative consultancy schemes are only one part of the Government's efforts to ensure that small businesses are aware of the importance of the single market. My Department's exports branch staff regularly raises such issues in its contacts with business while the single market unit provides guidance on all aspects of the single market. Since January 1989, the Welsh Office has provided speakers at seminars or conferences on 89 occasions, including a series of 14 Welsh Office seminars currently under way.
In total, some 3,425 grants, totalling £10 million, were offered under the business improvement services scheme, which operated from December 1984 to March 1989. It is not possible to provide information on how many of these were relevant to single market issues.