HC Deb 16 January 1998 vol 304 cc327-8W
Mr. Godman

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the progress of the Local Enterprise and Development Unit in generating self-employment and small business development in the last year. [22741]

Mr. Ingram

LEDU, the Small Business Agency for Northern Ireland, measures the performance of its client companies by way of an annual survey, of which the most recent was completed in March 1997. Its findings reveal that LEDU assisted 1,543 new businesses to start-up during 1996–97, 136 of which represented businesses with potential to engage in future export-led growth (an increase of 72 per cent. over the previous two years).

Jobs created through new business starts were at an all time high of 3,425 and losses due to business closures were at their lowest level since 1991. In overall terms, a net 3,525 increase in full-time employment was recorded in LEDU's client bank; an increase of 15 per cent. over the previous year.

LEDU's growth category businesses have an estimated aggregate annual turnover of £750 million (8.5 per cent. increase from the previous year) and support the employment of 11,670 people (6 per cent. up on the previous year). Overall, LEDU's growth companies increased their sales to external markets by nearly 14 per cent. to an annual value of £300 million and improved their sales per employee by 2 per cent.