Small Businesses (Hansard, 6 December 1995)

§ 25. Mr. Touhig
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of small businesses survive longer than three years. [2624]

§ Mr. Page
Official estimates of survival rates are available for businesses registering for VAT. These show that around 60 per cent. of businesses remain on the VAT register for at least three years.

§ 29. Mr. Gapes
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many small firms went out of business in the last quarter for which figures are available. [2628]

§ Mr. Page
There are no figures on the total numbers of small firms which go out of business each quarter. Figures are available on the number of firms which go out of businesses because of insolvency. In the third quarter of 1995 there were 3,919 company insolvencies and 6,736 individual insolvencies in England and Wales, on a seasonally adjusted basis.

§ Mr. Barry Field
To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those measures that his Department has taken to assist small businesses since 1979. [2617]

§ Mr. Page
A complete outline of the range of initiatives introduced is published in the annual report "Small Firms in Britain". Copies of the 1995 report are in the Library of the House.