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26 Nov 2008 : Column 1927W—continued
HMRC do not produce these statistics separately for child tax credit and working tax credit.
Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Agricultural Products: EU Action
Bob Russell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will assess the effect on small businesses of the proposed EU Regulation on the Placing of Plant Protection Products, with particular reference to business in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [236971]
Huw Irranca-Davies: I have been asked to reply.
The Pesticides Safety Directorate's risk assessment published in May this year (a copy of which has been placed in the library of the House) identified the main agronomic impacts of the key ‘cut off criteria’ provision within the Commission's proposal. That assessment also included an analysis of the amendments proposed at first reading by the European Parliament. The predicted impacts on pesticide availability were significant for all arable farmers, including small farmers.
Brussels
Mr. Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department spent on visits by its staff to Brussels in 2007-08; and how many such visits were made by (a) air and (b) rail. [239423]
Mr. McFadden: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member before prorogation.
Business
Mike Penning: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) how many new businesses were started in (a) Hemel Hempstead, (b) Hertfordshire and (c) the UK in each year since 2001; [238108]
(2) how many VAT registered businesses there were in (a) Hemel Hempstead, (b) Hertfordshire and (c) the UK in each year since 1994. [238107]
Ian Pearson: The numbers of businesses registering for VAT and the total number of VAT registered businesses in Hemel Hempstead constituency, Hertfordshire county and the UK are shown in the following tables. Data for the number of VAT registrations during 2007 and the total number of VAT registered businesses at the start of 2008 will be available on 28 November 2008.
| VAT registrations (indicator of business start-ups) | |||
| United Kingdom | Hertfordshire county | Hemel Hempstead constituency | |
| Start of year VAT stock( 1) | |||
| United Kingdom | Hertfordshire county | Hemel Hempstead constituency | |
| (1 )Although start of year stock data is available for 2007, data on new VAT registrations during 2007 will not be available until 28 November 2008. Source: BERR National Statistics publication “Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2006” available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm | |||
The total number of VAT registered businesses in the UK increased from 1,621,760 at the start of 1994 to 1,956,750 at the start of 2007, an increase of 334,990 (21 per cent.). The total number of VAT registered businesses in Hertfordshire increased from 33,375 at the start of 1994 to 42,480 at the start of 2007, an increase of 9,105 (27 per cent.). The total number of VAT registered businesses in Hemel Hempstead constituency increased from 2,735 at the start of 1994 to 3,480 at the start of 2007, an increase of 755 (28 per cent.).
VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was £60,000 at the start of 2006. Only 1.9 million out of 4.5 million UK enterprises (43 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2006.
Business Link
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much funding his Government provided to the Business Link network in each year since 1997. [231956]
Ian Pearson: From the DTI and HMRC Annual Reports and Accounts the total cost of the Business Link service over the period from 1997 to 2005 was as follows:
| Cost of Business Link service (£ million) | |
In 2005, responsibility for managing Business Link face-to-face services was transferred to the RDAs and the budget of £142 million was added to the Department's contribution towards the RDA “Single-Pot”. This allows the regions to draw down as much or as little funding as they see fit to deliver Business Link services in their areas.
In addition to the single pot, the spend on delivering Business Link support services such as the national telephone number, publications, marketing, communications, PR and on-line services since 2005 was as follows:
| Spend on delivering Business Lind support services (£ million) | |
In each year, all bar £1.7 million was spent on delivering on-line business support services to customers.
Business: York
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many VAT registered businesses there were in the City of York (a) constituency and (b) local authority area in each year since 1994. [237057]
Ian Pearson: VAT registration data provide the only accurate indicator of the number of VAT-registered business at the start of each calendar year.
The number of businesses registered for VAT in City York constituency and in York unitary authority area between the start of 1997 and at the start of 2007 is shown in the following tables. Data for the number of VAT-registered businesses at the start of 2008 will be available on 28 November 2008.
| City of York constituency: VAT-registered business | |
| VAT-registered business at start of year | |
| York unitary authority: VAT-registered business | |
| VAT-registered business at start of year | |
| Source: BERR National Statistics publication ‘Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2006’ available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm | |
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