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42.
Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new businesses were registered; and how many businesses ceased trading over the last 12 months.
Mr. Trippier
The most recently available figures for 1984 show that 170,000 new businesses started up and 120,000 ceased trading. These figures, which are based upon VAT returns, are liable to revision but the eventual surplus of starts over stops is expected to be in excess of 35,000.