asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the Government's policy on the issue of product liability and the status of the European Economic Community draft directive 9427/79.
As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Proctor) on 29 April—[Vol. 983, c. 413]—the Government will take account of the views of the interested parties whom they consulted last year before deciding their attitude to the draft directive. Meanwhile, a council working party has commenced its examination of the draft.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied with the definition of "defective" in A.4 of the draft directive on product liability 9427/79; and what submissions have been made by the Government.
My Department is now considering the views of the interested parties whom it consulted last year about the draft directive. The Government will, of course, take account of these views before deciding their attitude to the draft.
1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 (to 2 May) | ||||||
New registrations | … | … | … | … | … | 55,214 | 63,566 | 66,472 | 26,037 |
Receiverships notified | … | … | … | … | … | 1,276 | 983 | 853 | 514 |
Liquidations notified | … | … | … | … | … | 9,974 | 9,162 | 8,751 | 4,518 |
Companies wound-up (compulsory, voluntary or by order of Court) | … | … | … | … | … | 8.959 | 8,407 | 7,472 | 3,125 |
asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many companies in Scotland have gone bankrupt since May 1979; and how many people lost their jobs as a result.
In the 12 months May 1979 to April 1980 there were 267 company liquidations—compulsory plus creditors' voluntary liquidations—in Scotland. I regret that information on jobs lost as a result is not available.