§ Mr. WoodwardTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) small and medium enterprises and (b) other companies were declared insolvent in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000 and (v) 2001, in (A) north-west England, (B) north-east England, (C) the west midlands, (D) London, (E) south-east England, (F) Scotland and (G) Wales. [43372]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonOfficial insolvency statistics are not able to identify the size of the company involved.
Company compulsory liquidations can be identified by location and are recorded under the official receiver's office and not by Government office regions. For example, insolvencies in Wales will be recorded under official receiver's offices in Cardiff and Swansea (South West) and Chester (North West).
The table gives the company compulsory liquidations by region in each of the years 1997 to 2001.
Region 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 Anglia 591 704 719 672 708 London 1,060 1,487 1,161 951 911 Midlands 602 589 605 664 553 North East 608 531 599 546 504 North West 556 537 714 597 586 Public Interest Unit 0 0 37 94 150 South East 770 781 768 769 715 South West 548 587 606 632 548 Scotland 254 338 364 344 378 Total (England & Wales) 4,735 5,216 5,209 4,925 4,675 Total for GB 4,989 5,554 5,573 5,269 5,053