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Mr. Dodds
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many small businesses have gone out of business in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. [103255]
Mr. Pearson
The number of insolvency orders (bankruptcy and compulsory winding up) made against individuals and small businesses in each of the last six financial years is as follows:
| Financial year | Number of insolvency orders |
| 1996–97 | 411 |
| 1997–98 | 432 |
| 1998–99 | 421 |
| 1999–2000 | 393 |
| 2000–01 | 338 |
| 2001–02 | 265 |