§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many new businesses have started up in Birkenhead since 1997; [166491]
(2) how many new businesses have been established in Birkenhead since 1997. [166493]
§ Nigel GriffithsBarclays Bank's latest survey of business creation (published 31 March 2004) includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 500 in Wirral Local Authority (which contains the constituency of Birkenhead), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 2,100 business start-ups in Wirral Local Authority in 2003. Data for local authorities are not available for before 2003.
DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Wirral Local Authority (which contains the constituency of Birkenhead) are shown in the table for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.
VAT Registration 1997–2002 Wirral 1997 660 1998 595 1999 600 2000 600 2001 555 2002 510 Source: Business Start-ups and Closures VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994-2002, Small Business Service. VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.
§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government has taken to help small businesses in Birkenhead since 1997. [166492]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe Business Link Operator for Greater Merseyside (GME) has provided assistance to 194 businesses in the Birkenhead constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 business Link operators (seven in the north west) to provide Business Support to small and medium sized enterprises from April 2001. Before this date Government support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the SBS does not have access to these data.
532WThe Business Link Operator has provided Business Start Advice to the 194 businesses, and in addition have provided assistance regarding Investors in People, Specialist Business Advice, Workforce development and the Consultancy projects to those companies needing help in these areas.
Eleven companies have received offers of grant from the Research and Development Grant scheme with a total value of £696,160 since 1997.
Under the Enterprise Grant Scheme which has now just come to a close (31 March 2004) 13 companies have received offers of grant with a total value of £334,170.
§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses have started up in Wirral, South since 1997. [166628]
§ Nigel GriffithsBarclays Bank's latest survey of business creation (published 31 March 2004) includes non-VAT registered firms and shows that there were 115,000 business start-ups in England and Wales, including 500 in Wirral Local Authority (which contains the constituency of Wirral, South), in the fourth quarter of 2003. The latest yearly figures show 465,000 business start-ups in England and Wales in 2003. This represents a 19 per cent. increase on the year before. There were 2,100 business start-ups in Wirral Local Authority in 2003. Data for local authorities are not available for before 2003.
DTI figures based solely on VAT registrations for Wirral Local Authority (which contains the constituency of Wirral, South) are shown in the table for the period 1997 to 2002. Data for 2003 will be available in autumn 2004.
VAT Registrations 1997–2002 Wirral 1997 660 1998 595 1999 600 2000 600 2001 555 2002 510 Source: Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994–2002, Small Business Service. VAT registrations do not capture all start-up activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which has risen in each year since 1997. Similarly, businesses that de-register will not necessarily have closed. Only 1.8 million out of 3.8 million enterprises were registered for VAT at the start of 2002.
§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government has taken to help small businesses in Wirral, South since 1997. [166629]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe Business Link Operator for Greater Merseyside (GME) has provided assistance to 109 businesses in the Wirral, South constituency since 2001. The Small Business Service was set up as an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry in April 2000. Contracts were exchanged with a national network of 45 Business Link Operators (seven in the north west) to provide Business Support to small and 533W medium sized enterprises form April 2001. Before this date Government Support to businesses was provided through Training and Enterprise Councils and the SBS does not have access to these data.
The Business Link Operator I as provided Business Start Advice to the 109 businesses, and in addition have provided Specialist business advice, workforce development and consultancy projects to those companies needing help in these areas.
Fourteen companies have received offers of grant from the Research and Development Grant Scheme with a total value of £465,700 sin 1997.
Under the Enterprise Grant Scheme which has just come to a close (31 March 2004) 11 companies have received offers of grant with a total value of £696,160.