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20 Jan 2009 : Column 1320W—continued


20 Jan 2009 : Column 1321W
Start of year stock of VAT-registered businesses, 1997-2008
Start of year Cheadle parliamentary constituency Stockport North West region

1997

2,475

7,840

160,165

1998

2,525

7,935

162,685

1999

2,590

8,095

165,080

2000

2,615

8,130

167,085

2001

2,630

8,315

169,040

2002

2,645

8,370

170,730

2003

2,710

8,485

172,650

2004

2,755

8,665

176,900

2005

2,790

8,830

180,355

2006

2,860

9,020

184,725

2007

2,910

9,165

188,735

2008

3,015

9,435

194,695

Source:
BERR National Statistics publication “Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2007” available at:
http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm

The number of VAT-registered businesses in Stockport metropolitan borough rose from 7,840 at the start of 1997 to 9,435 at the start of 2008—a rise of 20 per cent.

The number of VAT-registered businesses in Cheadle rose from 2,475 at the start of 1997 to 3,015 at the start of 2008—a rise of 22 per cent.

The number of VAT-registered businesses in the North West rose from 160,165 at the start of 1997 to 194,695 at the start of 2008—a rise of 22 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 £64,000 at the start of 2007. Only 1.96 million out of 4.7 million UK enterprises (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2007.

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many small and medium-sized enterprises were registered in (a) Stockport Metropolitan Borough, (b) Greater Manchester and (c) the North West in each of the last five years. [246075]

Ian Pearson: Estimates of the number of registered small to medium-sized enterprise, in each of the last five years, are not available below the regional level.

Only data for businesses of all sizes registered for VAT are published by BERR. It is estimated that the majority (97.9 per cent.) of these will be small (with fewer than 50 employees) and a further 1.7 per cent. will be medium-sized (with 50 to 249 employees).

The number of businesses registered for VAT in Stockport metropolitan borough, Greater Manchester and the north-west for the start of 2004 to the start of 2008 is shown in the following table.

Start of year stock of VAT-registered businesses, 2004-08

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Stockport Metropolitan Borough

8,665

8,830

9,020

9,165

9,435

Greater Manchester

64,665

65,745

67,350

68,830

70,800

The North West

176,900

180,355

184,725

188,735

194,695

Source:
BERR National Statistics publication ‘Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2007’ available at:
http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm

20 Jan 2009 : Column 1322W

The number of VAT-registered businesses in Stockport metropolitan borough rose from 8,665 at the start of 2004 to 9,435 at the start of 2008—a rise of 9 per cent.

The number of VAT-registered businesses in Greater Manchester rose from 64,665 at the start of 2004 to 70,800 at the start of 2008—a rise of 9 per cent.

The number of VAT-registered businesses in the north-west rose from 176,900 at the start of 2004 to 194,695 at the start of 2008—a rise of 10 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 £64,000 at the start of 2007. Only 1.96 million out of 4.7 million UK enterprises (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2007.

Small Businesses: Procurement

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of the cost of running the Supply2.gov.uk website in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08; and what he estimates this cost to be in 2008-09. [246769]

Ian Pearson [holding answer 12 January 2009]: The supply2.gov.uk site is operated under a concession type contract with the supplier carrying the commercial risk. The initial set up cost borne by the Department of Trade and Industry in 2006 was £120,000. In 2008-09 BERR funded the provision of a free trial for businesses which ran between 1 May and 31 July 2008, at a cost of £110,310 (ex VAT). No other payments have been made in relation to the portal.

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many businesses were registered with Supply2.gov.uk in each month since June 2006; and how many he expects to register in each month to March 2009. [246770]

Ian Pearson [holding answer 12 January 2009]: No figures are available for business registrations on supply2.gov.uk. The number of supplier user registrations to November 2008 is set out in the following table.


20 Jan 2009 : Column 1323W

Number of supplier user registrations

June 2006

3,643

July 2006

5,556

August 2006

3,793

September 2006

3,544

October 2006

4,056

November 2006

2,954

December 2006

2,189

January 2007

2,708

February 2007

3,064

March 2007

2,996

April 2007

2,650

May 2007

2,284

June 2007

2,367

July 2007

2,461

August 2007

2,404

September 2007

2,025

October 2007

3,055

November 2007

2,426

December 2007

2,289

January 2008

3,342

February 2008

3,158

March 2008

2,891

April 2008

3,160

May 2008

5,821

June 2008

4,079

July 08

12,642

August 08

3,657

September 08

4,063

October 08

4,555

November 08

4,257


3,400 users are projected to register in each month between December 2008 and March 2009.

Trade Unions

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many trade union members there are in the UK; and in which 10 industries the proportion of employees who are union members is lowest. [248483]

Mr. McFadden: In 2007, the period for when latest data are available, the number of employees who were trade union members in the United Kingdom was approximately seven million.

In terms of the proportions, 28.0 per cent. of all employees were union members in the United Kingdom. The proportion of trade union members, broken down by the main industry groups and ranked from lowest to highest, is shown in the following table.

Trade union density of UK employees( 1) by industry, 2007
Industry Percentage

Hotels and restaurants

4.9

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

7.9

Real estate and business services

10.2

Wholesale, retail and motor trade

11.3

Construction

15.5

Other services

18.6

Manufacturing

21.8

Financial Intermediation

22.3

Mining and quarrying

23.1

Transport, storage and communication

40.1

Health and social work

43.4

Electricity, gas and water supply

45.6

Education

55.3

Public administration and defence

56.8

(1) Excludes members of the armed forces.
Source:
Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics

Working Hours: EU Law

Mr. Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the implications of the European Parliament's vote on the Working Time Directive on 17 December 2008 for his Department's policy on the Directive. [248367]


20 Jan 2009 : Column 1324W

Mr. McFadden: The UK is one of 14 member states that enables workers to opt-out of the maximum 48-hour working week, should they wish to do so. This flexibility is used by over three million employees in the UK who choose to work longer hours. Loss of this opt-out would therefore cost the UK billions both in costs to industry and lost earnings. As a result, it could also only have a negative impact on overall employment levels.

The Government remain committed to fight for the continuation of this important flexibility and will be calling on the European Council to reject the damaging amendments on the Working Time Common Position adopted by the European Parliament.


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