HC Deb 22 January 2003 vol 398 c364W
Dr. Murrison

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the impact of insurance costs on the competitiveness of British industry. [91841]

Nigel Griffiths

In a recent 'omnibus' survey of SMEs for the Small Business Service, 28 per cent. of the sample said insurance was an issue for them, although only 3 per cent. said it was the greatest obstacle they faced (competition/sales was most frequently cited as the greatest obstacle, by 24 per cent. of firms).

The Government also announced on 12 December 2002 details of a review of the operation of the Employers Liability Compulsory Insurance system, one of the objectives of which is to Assess the scale and nature of the current difficulties being experienced in relation to ELCI, in particular the extent to which these difficulties are likely to be short-term only, repeated in the future or permanent.