HC Deb 07 April 2003 vol 403 cc14-5W
Mr. Bercow

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many individuals and businesses have been assisted in Milton. Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire in(a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03. [107154]

Alan Johnson

Business Link, the national business advice service provided by the Small Business Service an agency of the Department for Trade and Industry, has assisted the following number of established small and medium enterprises (sole traders or businesses with up to 250 employees) within the Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire areas:

  1. (a) 2001–02: 7,077;
  2. (b) 2002–03: 10,000 (estimate as final numbers for Q4 still being collated).

In addition, they have provided services to the following number of individuals and pre-starts:

  1. (a)2001–02: 2,300;
  2. (b)2002–03: 3,200 (estimate as final numbers for Q4 still being collated).