asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new companies have been registered in the northern region in each year since 1979.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 May 1987, c. 319]: Jordan and Son Limited estimates that the number of companies incorporated each year and whose current registered office is located in the northern region (or, in the case of companies which have been dissolved, the last known registered office) is as follows:

	Number
1979	1,719
1980	1,794
1981	1,884
1982	2,347
1983	2,545
1984	2,537
1985	2,648
1986	3,155

A small number of companies registered in parts of Lancashire and North Yorkshire are included in the northern region figures and some around the Berwick area are excluded as the table was compiled from an analysis of postcodes of registered office addresses.