To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what were (a) the costs and the revenue figures for public search facilities at the companies registration offices and (b) the costs and the revenue figures for services to companies for the six months periods from 1 July to 31 December for 1986 and 1987, and estimated for 1988, excluding those undertaken on behalf of Government and other public authorities.

Provisional figures for 1987–88, calculated on a memorandum trading account basis, show that costs of public search facilities at the companies registration offices were £8·1 million. Revenue amounted to £3·8 million. Information about services to companies or any other sector of users is not separately available.