To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent research she has commissioned on the administrative burden on small businesses. [134949]

The Small Business Service, an executive agency of the DTI, commissioned the Small Business Survey 2003 in June 2003, to understand the concerns of small and medium-sized businesses. It has several questions on the administrative burden of small businesses, including how much time small and medium-sized enterprises spend each week on paperwork relating to complying with Government regulations and taxes.