House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 26 Feb 2002 (pt 16)

Late Payment

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of the amount of interest that has been paid (a) in total and (b) to SMEs as a result of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. [36566]

Nigel Griffiths: The Department does not hold this information, because there is no requirement for businesses to report such amounts to the Department.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. [36565]

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Nigel Griffiths: This Act is part of a package of measures that the Government have put in place to change the late payment culture here. The Credit Management Research Centre (CMRC) based at Leeds University has been monitoring late payment activity in England since 1998.

The CMRC reports show that there has been a fall of almost 7.5 per cent. in the percentage of payments that are reported as being late by the businesses that they survey. This fall relates to the period between their first survey and the survey for the quarter ending June 2001. During the same period the number of debtor days for small businesses has fallen by almost 24 per cent. and the mean number of debtor days for all businesses has fallen by almost 20 per cent.

Finally, the "European Business Survey" for 2001, produced by the accountants Grant Thornton, shows the UK as having a payment period almost a week (five days) shorter than the EU average (52 days).

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she plans to introduce further measures to prevent delays in paying commercial debts. [36564]

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Nigel Griffiths: We are currently working to give businesses two significant new entitlements; the right to claim reasonable debt-recovery costs without having to go to court; and the ability for grossly unfair terms and conditions that work against the intent of the late payment legislation to be challenged and their continued use prevented.

The changes will come into effect from 8 August 2002, and from that date the late payment legislation will be available to all businesses and organisations irrespective of their size. Currently only small businesses can use the legislation, although previously this right was to have been extended to all business and organisations from 1 November 2002.

Employee Statistics

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many enterprises there were with (a) fewer than 50, (b) between 50 and 249, (c) between 250 and 499 and (d) over 500 employees in each nation and region of the UK in each of the last five years; and what the percentage annual change was in each category and for each year. [37565]

Nigel Griffiths: Regional data on the number of businesses are available for the years 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Businesses (number) Annual change (percentage)

Size (number of employees) 1997 1998 1999 1997 1998 1999

North East

0–49 95,990 98,005 90,160 ⁽⁸⁾— 2.1 -8.0

50–249 925 905 885 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.2 -2.2

250–499 130 120 110 ⁽⁸⁾— -7.7 -8.3

500 plus 105 110 100 ⁽⁸⁾— 4.8 -9.1

North West

0–49 380,325 352,620 352,740 ⁽⁸⁾— -7.3 0.0

50–249 2,935 2,845 2,730 ⁽⁸⁾— -3.1 -4.0

250–499 380 360 330 ⁽⁸⁾— -5.3 -8.3

500 plus 355 365 375 ⁽⁸⁾— 2.8 2.7

Yorkshire and the Humber

0–49 288,650 267,275 256,590 ⁽⁸⁾— -7.4 -4.0

50–249 2,410 2,120 2,075 ⁽⁸⁾— -12.0 -2.1

250–499 290 280 265 ⁽⁸⁾— -3.4 -5.4

500 plus 315 285 300 ⁽⁸⁾— -9.5 5.3

East Midlands

0–49 237,795 226,685 232,540 ⁽⁸⁾— -4.7 2.6

50–249 2,080 2,010 1,895 ⁽⁸⁾— -3.4 -5.7

250–499 240 235 240 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.1 2.1

500 plus 245 265 250 ⁽⁸⁾— 8.2 -5.7

West Midlands

0–49 303,580 283,865 285,775 ⁽⁸⁾— -6.5 0.7

50–249 2,515 2,465 2,305 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.0 -6.5

250–499 325 330 310 ⁽⁸⁾— 1.5 -6.1

500 plus 340 335 330 ⁽⁸⁾— -1.5 -1.5

East of England

0–49 376,025 376,250 349,390 ⁽⁸⁾— 0.1 -7.1

50–249 2,310 2,300 2,205 ⁽⁸⁾— -0.4 -4.1

250–499 310 305 280 ⁽⁸⁾— -1.6 -8.2

500 plus 320 310 325 ⁽⁸⁾— -3.1 4.8

London

0–49 562,500 563,145 660,990 ⁽⁸⁾— 0.1 17.4

50–249 3,800 3,705 3,465 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.5 -6.5

250–499 605 590 565 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.5 -4.2

500 plus 730 720 710 ⁽⁸⁾— -1.4 -1.4

South East

0–49 608,445 614,995 601,610 ⁽⁸⁾— 1.1 -2.2

50–249 3,685 3,580 3,375 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.8 -5.7

250–499 485 500 475 ⁽⁸⁾— 3.1 -5.0

500 plus 545 555 540 ⁽⁸⁾— 1.8 -2.7

South West

0–49 361,220 368,955 358,330 ⁽⁸⁾— 2.1 -2.9

50–249 1,880 1,835 1,745 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.4 -4.9

250–499 220 240 240 ⁽⁸⁾— 9.1 0.0

500 plus 215 225 215 ⁽⁸⁾— 4.7 -4.4

England

0–49 3,214,530 3,151,795 3,188,125 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.0 1.2

50–249 22,540 21,750 20,680 ⁽⁸⁾— -3.5 -4.9

250–499 2,985 2,955 2,810 ⁽⁸⁾— -1.0 -4.9

500 plus 3,170 3,175 3,140 ⁽⁸⁾— 0.2 -1.1

Wales

0–49 156,980 152,225 143,080 ⁽⁸⁾— -3.0 -6.0

50–249 910 890 845 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.2 -5.1

250–499 125 125 115 ⁽⁸⁾— 0.0 -8.0

500 plus 90 95 95 ⁽⁸⁾— 5.6 0.0

Scotland

0–49 241,480 244,595 231,040 ⁽⁸⁾— 1.3 -5.5

50–249 2,020 2,005 1,935 ⁽⁸⁾— -0.7 -3.5

250–499 240 235 220 ⁽⁸⁾— -2.1 -6.4

500 plus 255 260 240 ⁽⁸⁾— 2.0 -7.7

Northern Ireland

0–49 83,730 82,470 83,785 ⁽⁸⁾— -1.5 1.6

50–249 700 760 720 ⁽⁸⁾— 8.6 -5.3

250–499 60 80 75 ⁽⁸⁾— 33.3 -6.3

500 plus 45 45 40 ⁽⁸⁾— 0.0 -11.1

	Businesses (number)	Annual change (percentage)
Size (number of employees)	1997	1998	1999	1997	1998	1999
North East
0–49	95,990	98,005	90,160	⁽⁸⁾—	2.1	-8.0
50–249	925	905	885	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.2	-2.2
250–499	130	120	110	⁽⁸⁾—	-7.7	-8.3
500 plus	105	110	100	⁽⁸⁾—	4.8	-9.1

North West
0–49	380,325	352,620	352,740	⁽⁸⁾—	-7.3	0.0
50–249	2,935	2,845	2,730	⁽⁸⁾—	-3.1	-4.0
250–499	380	360	330	⁽⁸⁾—	-5.3	-8.3
500 plus	355	365	375	⁽⁸⁾—	2.8	2.7

	Yorkshire and the Humber
0–49	288,650	267,275	256,590	⁽⁸⁾—	-7.4	-4.0
50–249	2,410	2,120	2,075	⁽⁸⁾—	-12.0	-2.1
250–499	290	280	265	⁽⁸⁾—	-3.4	-5.4
500 plus	315	285	300	⁽⁸⁾—	-9.5	5.3

	East Midlands
0–49	237,795	226,685	232,540	⁽⁸⁾—	-4.7	2.6
50–249	2,080	2,010	1,895	⁽⁸⁾—	-3.4	-5.7
250–499	240	235	240	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.1	2.1
500 plus	245	265	250	⁽⁸⁾—	8.2	-5.7

	West Midlands
0–49	303,580	283,865	285,775	⁽⁸⁾—	-6.5	0.7
50–249	2,515	2,465	2,305	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.0	-6.5
250–499	325	330	310	⁽⁸⁾—	1.5	-6.1
500 plus	340	335	330	⁽⁸⁾—	-1.5	-1.5

	East of England
0–49	376,025	376,250	349,390	⁽⁸⁾—	0.1	-7.1
50–249	2,310	2,300	2,205	⁽⁸⁾—	-0.4	-4.1
250–499	310	305	280	⁽⁸⁾—	-1.6	-8.2
500 plus	320	310	325	⁽⁸⁾—	-3.1	4.8

London
0–49	562,500	563,145	660,990	⁽⁸⁾—	0.1	17.4
50–249	3,800	3,705	3,465	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.5	-6.5
250–499	605	590	565	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.5	-4.2
500 plus	730	720	710	⁽⁸⁾—	-1.4	-1.4
South East
0–49	608,445	614,995	601,610	⁽⁸⁾—	1.1	-2.2
50–249	3,685	3,580	3,375	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.8	-5.7
250–499	485	500	475	⁽⁸⁾—	3.1	-5.0
500 plus	545	555	540	⁽⁸⁾—	1.8	-2.7

South West
0–49	361,220	368,955	358,330	⁽⁸⁾—	2.1	-2.9
50–249	1,880	1,835	1,745	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.4	-4.9
250–499	220	240	240	⁽⁸⁾—	9.1	0.0
500 plus	215	225	215	⁽⁸⁾—	4.7	-4.4

England
0–49	3,214,530	3,151,795	3,188,125	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.0	1.2
50–249	22,540	21,750	20,680	⁽⁸⁾—	-3.5	-4.9
250–499	2,985	2,955	2,810	⁽⁸⁾—	-1.0	-4.9
500 plus	3,170	3,175	3,140	⁽⁸⁾—	0.2	-1.1

Wales
0–49	156,980	152,225	143,080	⁽⁸⁾—	-3.0	-6.0
50–249	910	890	845	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.2	-5.1
250–499	125	125	115	⁽⁸⁾—	0.0	-8.0
500 plus	90	95	95	⁽⁸⁾—	5.6	0.0

Scotland
0–49	241,480	244,595	231,040	⁽⁸⁾—	1.3	-5.5
50–249	2,020	2,005	1,935	⁽⁸⁾—	-0.7	-3.5
250–499	240	235	220	⁽⁸⁾—	-2.1	-6.4
500 plus	255	260	240	⁽⁸⁾—	2.0	-7.7

	Northern Ireland
0–49	83,730	82,470	83,785	⁽⁸⁾—	-1.5	1.6
50–249	700	760	720	⁽⁸⁾—	8.6	-5.3
250–499	60	80	75	⁽⁸⁾—	33.3	-6.3
500 plus	45	45	40	⁽⁸⁾—	0.0	-11.1

⁽⁸⁾ Not available

Source:

SME statistics for the UK 1997, 1998 and 1999

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Exports

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will estimate for each of the last five years and provide forecasts where available for the next two years, the value of exported goods by nation and region of the UK and for the UK in total. [37568]

Nigel Griffiths: Statistics on UK trade in goods, analysed by nation and region of the UK, are available from 1999 onwards only. The available information is given in the table:

Value of Exports£ million

Region 1999 2000

Eastern 15,511 18,497

East Midlands 10,134 10,484

London 20,553 23,668

North East 5,668 6,797

North West 10,722 12,574

South East 23,865 27,717

South West 8,168 9,623

West Midlands 12,170 12,857

Yorkshire and the Humber 7,634 8,714

England 114,425 130,931

Northern Ireland 2,731 3,315

Scotland 15,649 18,221

Wales 5,918 6,416

Total 138,723 158,883

Region	1999	2000
Eastern	15,511	18,497
East Midlands	10,134	10,484
London	20,553	23,668
North East	5,668	6,797
North West	10,722	12,574
South East	23,865	27,717
South West	8,168	9,623
West Midlands	12,170	12,857
Yorkshire and the Humber	7,634	8,714
England	114,425	130,931
Northern Ireland	2,731	3,315
Scotland	15,649	18,221
Wales	5,918	6,416

Total	138,723	158,883

Source:

HM Customs and Excise News Release 01–2002, 17 January 2002

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The Department does not make forecasts for regional exports.

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