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Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice his Department issues to employees of small businesses regarding (a) rights at work and (b) terms and conditions of maternity pay. [40543]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: My Department produces a comprehensive range of free booklets describing the rights of all employees under employment legislation. The booklet "Maternity Rights" was produced with the Department of Social Security, which is responsible for the maternity pay provisions, and the Health and Safety Executive, and gives information about all aspects of the statutory maternity provisions.
Mrs Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many small businesses there have been in Britain in each of the last 17 years; and, of these, how many had between (a) one and nine employees, (b) 10 and 99 employees and (c) 100 and 499 employees. [40545]
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Mr. Page: Estimates of the number of businesses with fewer than 500 employees in the United Kingdom since 1979 are given in the table. Separate figures are not available for Britain.
At the end of 1993, 791,000 businesses had between one and nine employees, 185,000 had between 10 and 99 employees and 14,000 had between 100 and 499 employees; the remainder have no employees. There are no comparable figures for earlier years.
Table 1: Number of businesses in
the UK 1979-1993
Thousands
|Number of
Year |businesses
---------------------------------
1979 |2,420
1980 |n/a
1981 |n/a
1982 |n/a
1983 |2,880
1984 |n/a
1985 |n/a
1986 |3,230
1987 |n/a
1988 |3,680
1989 |3,830
1990 |3,780
1991 |3,600
1992 |3,510
1993 |3,570
Note:
n/a not available.
Source:
Small and Medium Sized
Enterprise (SME) Statistics for
the UK, 1993.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the number and proportion of small businesses which (a) have debt financed over five years and (b) have debt financed by overdraft; what comparable figures are available for European competitor nations; and what plans he has to ensure that longer-term financing is available to small businesses. [40537]
Mr. Page: A number of different surveys confirm that there has been a marked trend away from overdrafts towards term lending among small and medium-sized enterprises in this country in the last few years. According to figures produced by the British Bankers Association, term lending now accounts for 61.7 per cent. of total lending to SMEs compared to 40 per cent. in 1990. The Government welcome this trend and hope it will continue.
As regards the situation in other European countries, a recent survey carried out by 3i found that an average of 29 per cent. of SMEs are reliant upon overdrafts.
Although the Government believe that finance for any business venture is a commercial matter for the banks and other financial institutions, we continue to point out to SMEs the dangers of an over-reliance on short-term debt finance and to encourage them to consider longer-term alternatives. In appropriate cases, term loans over periods of two to seven years are available under the Government's small firms loan guarantee scheme.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement with regard to the small firms Ministers' network announced by his
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Department on 12 October on (a) what role each Minister will play, (b) how many times per year the network plans to meet, (c) when it last met, (d) what objectives have been set and (e) what effect the network will have on the public purse. [40539]Mr. Page: The first meeting of the small business Ministers took place on Monday 30 October. It is envisaged that the full team of Ministers will meet approximately every six months with individual bilateral meetings being arranged as necessary to discuss specific issues.
The aim of the group is to discuss how each Department can develop its own programme to help small businesses and how such a programme can be taken forward.
The group itself will not have a direct effect on the public purse.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many small businesses have failed within three years of starting up in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion this is of the total of new small businesses. [40544]
Mr. Page: Official estimates for business survival are produced from the VAT register and are given in the table. Figures for business failure rates are not the same as deregistration rates as many deregistrations are for reasons other than business failure.
Table 1: Deregistration rates of businesses registered for VAT
|Number |Per cent.
|deregistering within|deregistering within
Year |3 years (thousand) |3 years
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1980 |57 |36
1981 |57 |37
1982 |63 |38
1983 |69 |38
1984 |71 |39
1985 |71 |39
1986 |72 |38
1987 |78 |37
1988<1> |94 |39
1989 |110 |43
Note:
<1> Deregistration rates for 1988 onwards will be inflated by additional
deregistrations following the VAT threshold increase in 1991.
Source:
DTI Small Firms Statistics Unit.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his current estimate of the number of small businesses in each London borough. [40546]
Mr. Page: The best estimate of the number of small businesses by London borough is given by the number of VAT registered businesses. A copy of the most recent figures "VAT Registrations and
Deregistrations, County and District Analysis 1992 1993" is in the Library of the House.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of the bankruptcy of small businesses as regard (a) write-off of tax debts, (b) tax relief to creditors on their losses in the bankruptcy and (c) the cost of statutory redundancy payments to the work force. [40548]
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Mr. Evans: The information is not available.
South Western Electricity
23. Ms Church: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has had from the National Consumer Council on behalf of consumers about the bid for South Western Electricity by Southern Company. [38673]
Nuclear Industry Privatisation
25. Mr. Simpson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to privatise the nuclear industry. [38675]
Mr. Eggar: Preparations are in hand to transfer the United Kingdom's advanced gas-cooled reactor and pressurised water reactor nuclear power stations, together with their liabilities, to the private sector. It is our intention that this sale should take place in the summer of 1996.
This sale will bring many benefits. In private ownership, the holding company will be free to compete, both domestically and overseas. Privatisation will provide powerful incentives for the two subsidiary companies to benefit their customers by raising efficiency and reducing costs. Our proposals will make for a more competitive nuclear generation sector operating to continuing, rigorous safety standards and will strengthen the ability of British companies to market nuclear services abroad. At the same time, the changes in the fossil fuel levy and the equivalent step in Scotland will bring significant benefits to consumers.
27. Mr. Corbett: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to privatise the nuclear industry. [38677]
Mr. Eggar: Preparations are in hand to transfer the United Kingdom's AGR and PWR nuclear power stations, together with their liabilities, to the private sector. It is our intention that this sale should take place in the summer of 1996.
This sale will bring many benefits. In private ownership, the holding company will be free to compete, both domestically and overseas. Privatisation will provide powerful incentives for the two subsidiary companies to benefit their customers by raising efficiency and reducing costs. Our proposals will make for a more competitive nuclear generation sector operating to continuing, rigorous safety standards and will strengthen the ability of British companies to market nuclear services abroad. At the same time, the changes in the fossil fuel levy and the equivalent step in Scotland will bring significant benefits to consumers.
32. Mr. Turner: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what additional measures he is taking to ensure that safety standards are maintained in the period prior to privatisation of the nuclear industry. [38685]
Mr. Eggar: The independent Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate continues to monitor closely the safe operation of all the United
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Kingdom's nuclear installations. The Government will not permit any weakening of the existing regulatory regime or of the current safety standards in force.Competitiveness
26. Mr. Roy Hughes: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new initiatives he is taking to improve competitiveness in British industry. [38676]
Mr. Lang: Improving UK competitiveness is at the centre of my Department's work. We are pursuing a wide range of initiatives, including the extension of the benchmarking approach into the service sector; encouraging innovation and improved supply chains; expanding support for small businesses through the opening of more business links; and export promotion.
Government-owned Companies (Exports)
28. Mr. Gunnell: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to improve the level of United Kingdom exports from Government-owned companies. [38678]
Mr. Oppenheim: The Government are offering the best ever package of support to British exporting companies, regardless of ownership or sector. I draw the hon. Member's attention to the British Overseas Trade Board annual report and forward plan, which details our support. A copy is in the Library of the House.
Manufacturing Industry
29. Sir David Knox: To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next expects to meet the President of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss manufacturing industry. [38679]
Mr. Lang: I am due to address the national conference of the Confederation of British Industry on 14 November. The latest CBI survey shows continued growth in manufacturing output, investment and exports. In 1996 the CBI expects manufacturing output to grow by 4 per cent.
Cable Television
30. Mr. Batiste: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of current cable television investments in the United Kingdom. [38681]
Mr. Taylor: Investment of some £2 billion in 1995 will bring total cable investment in the UK to £5.2 billion. The recent cable communications exhibition showed the extent of the industry and its suppliers.
Engineering Exports
31. Mr. Pawsey: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current level of United Kingdom engineering exports. [38684]
Mr. Oppenheim: The information is published by the Central Statistical Office in overseas trade analysed in terms of industries, business monitor MQ10, which is available in the Library of the House.
Insurance Company Funds
33. Mr. Denham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further plans he has to regulate the use of insurance company funds. [38686]
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Mr. Jonathan Evans: We propose to update the annual returns which insurance companies are required to make to the Department, and to make some technical amendments to the regulations on the value placed on insurance companies' assets. Interested parties are being consulted on these proposals.
Gas and Electricity Prices
34. Sir Teddy Taylor: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the change in real terms of the prices of (a) electricity and (b) gas for use by domestic consumers since these industries were privatised. [38687]
Mr. Eggar: Since privatisation in 1990, domestic electricity prices, including VAT, have increased by 2 per cent. in real terms. Excluding VAT, they have fallen by 6 per cent. in real terms. Since privatisation in late 1986, domestic gas prices, including VAT, have fallen by 16 per cent. in real terms. Excluding VAT, they have fallen by 23 per cent.
Privatised Utilities
35. Mr. Canavan: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what subjects were discussed at his last meeting with chairmen of the privatised utilities. [38688]
Mr. Lang: I meet the chairmen of privatised utilities from time to time to discuss a range of matters of common interest.
Export Markets (East Timor)
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if export licences have been applied for or granted for the export of logging trucks to East Timor. [40373]
Mr. Oppenheim: None in the period 1990 to 1995. Examination of manual records for earlier years would entail disproportionate costs.
Postal Services
Mr. Harry Greenway: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the postal services. [38920]
Mr. Oppenheim: The Government are committed to maintaining a nationwide letter and parcel service with daily delivery to every address in the country at a uniform and affordable structure of prices.
Regional Electricity Companies
Mr. Hanson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance the Government will give to regional electricity companies in respect of tax liabilities arising from the flotation of the National Grid. [40567]
Internal Market Council
Ms Quin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Internal Market Council of 9 October. [40112]
Mr. Oppenheim: The Internal Market Council scheduled for 9 October was cancelled. The next IMC is on 23 November.
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Research Council
Ms Quin: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Research Council of 30 October. [40113]
Mr. Ian Taylor: The Council agreed to increase the budget of the EU fourth framework programme for research and technology development by 6.5 per cent. to reflect the accession to the EU of Austria, Finland and Sweden. A number of member states, representing a blocking minority of votes, including the UK, formally indicated that any further decisions made by the Council for supplementary financing for the programme should be contained within the European Union's current financial perspectives.
The Council also decided that the International Association for the Promotion of Co-operation of Scientists from the new independent states of the former Soviet Union should continue in operation until the end of the fourth framework programme in 1988, and agreed a position for the EU at the meeting of the International Thermonuclear Reactor Council in December 1995.
The Commissioner for Research and Education introduced a Commission communication setting out the EU's approach to scientific and technological co-operation with third countries. The Commissioner for Industry briefly reported on the work of the Commission's research-industry task forces. These two issues will be the subject of further analysis and discussion by member states during the Italian presidency in the first half of 1996.
BMARC
Mr. Redmond: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will rescind his decision not to release documents to the former director of BMARC, Mr. John Anderson, and if he will make a statement. [39014]
Mr. Lang: The court considering my application for
disqualification of Mr. Anderson from acting as a company director, has ordered disclosure of certain documents and other material "as are presently in the hands of the Inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of Astra Holdings Plc."
All such documents have been supplied to Mr. Anderson.
Bankruptcy Petitions
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many petitions for bankruptcy have been begun by his Department for businesses with under 500 employees in each of the last five years. [40508]
Mr. Oppenheim: Information on the number of petitions for bankruptcy initiated by my Department could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
However, my Department would initiate such proceedings only in exceptional circumstances and the number of such actions begun in each of the last five years is therefore likely to be very few.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many (a) liquidations, (b) administrations, (c) receiverships and (d) company voluntary arrangements businesses employing under 500 people have experienced in each year since 1985. [40541]
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Mr. Oppenheim: The information available is published in table 2 of the Insolvency Service general annual report for the years 1989 and 1994, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Information by size of business is not available. However, over 99 per cent. of businesses employ less than 500 people.
Company Rescue Procedures
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans his Department has to encourage insolvency practitioners to undertake the London approach with small businesses, allowing a company to work out an informal arrangement with creditors while being protected from them. [40542]
Mr. Oppenheim: My Department has no such plans. I am keen to encourage the use of company rescue procedures, such as company voluntary arrangements and administration orders, wherever appropriate.
In April 1995, the Insolvency Service issued a consultative document on proposals for adding a 28-day moratorium on creditors' actions to the existing company voluntary arrangement procedure. It would give a company in financial difficulty a breathing space to put rescue proposals to creditors and was developed with the small company particularly in mind.
Illegal Immigration (Employer Sanctions)
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from organisations representing small businesses about the burden on them of his proposals to fine employers who hire illegal immigrants. [40540]
Mr. Page: No representations on this issue have been received. This proposals is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary.
Late Payment (Small Businesses)
Mrs. Roche: To ask the President of the Board of Trade how often his Department and each agency within it has failed to pay invoices due to small businesses within 30 days in each of the last five years. [40507]
Mr. Lang: The information is not available in the form requested. However, in common with other Government Departments, surveys of the DTI's payment performance have been carried out annually since 1991 92. Since then, the proportion of bills paid to all suppliers by DTI and its agencies within 30 days, or within the agreed credit period, has been as follows:
1991 92: 80 per cent. proportion
1992 93: 90.5 per cent. proportion
1993 94: 90 per cent. proportion
In 1994 95, following Treasury guidance, a new more rigorous system of sampling was introduced and the figure for that year was 84 per cent. I do not regard this performance as satisfactory and a target of 95 per cent. has been introduced for 1995 96.
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Jewellery Industry
Ms Short: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make it his policy to accept annexe III of the draft directive on precious metals only if traditional marks remain permitted; and if he will make a statement; [40720]
(2) if Her Majesty's Government intend to support the draft precious metals directive; and if he will make a statement; [40719] (3) what assessment has been made of the views of jewellery manufacturers and retailers on the proposed European directive on precious metals; and if he will make a statement. [40716]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: The Government attach great importance to the maintenance of traditional Assay Office marks and will continue to press for these to be permitted, within the terms of any directive. However, he will continue to oppose the adoption of any precious metals directive which includes manufacturer marking on this basis of self-certification, as in annexe III of the current draft. Manufacturer marking on this basis is an inadequate form of consumer protection. The Government have consulted the British jewellery manufacturers and retailers throughout negotiations on the directive.
Ms Short: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment has been made of the likely effect of the Houtwipper decision in the European Court of Justice on the British jewellery industry; and if he will make a statement; [40717]
(2) what review his Department has undertaken of the Hallmarking Act 1973 in following the Houtwipper judgment in the European Court; and if he will make a statement. [40718]
Jonathan Evans: The Government are considering what the implications of the Houtwipper judgment, ECJ 293/93, might be for the Hallmarking Act 1973 and the British jewellery industry, having regard to the industry's concerns about the need to avoid confusion among customers in the marketplace, and to progress on negotiations on a draft directive to harmonise laws on the marking of precious metal articles.
Grants
Mr. Chris Smith: To ask the President of the Board of Trade for what grant-giving funds his Department is responsible, requiring a private sector contribution, where the use of national lottery funds is not allowed to count towards that private sector portion. [38609]
Mr. Jonathan Evans: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of National Heritage on 31 October 1995.
Inward Investment
Mr. Waterson: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the level of inward investment in the United Kingdom, and what is the average figure for the EU. [38680]
Mr. Oppenheim: The stock of inward direct investment in the UK in 1993--the latest available year--was £120 billion. It is estimated that the total stock of
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inward direct investment in the EU Twelve in 1993 was about £410 billion. The average of the EU Twelve was about £34 billion.Former Coalfield Areas
Dr. Wright: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the regeneration of the former coalfield areas. [38668]
Mr. Oppenheim: My right hon. Friend the then President of the Board of Trade announced a package of measures totalling £200 million to help areas affected by pit closures. The major elements of this package were £75 million for training and enterprise councils, to be focused on training and business start-up measures and a £75 million English partnerships programme for factory and site provision. Assisted-area status was also granted to eight travel-to-work areas affected by pit closures.
This framework of regeneration measures is now in place in all areas and major projects are under way.
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