To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the number of businesses that will be affected by the changes in the Enterprise Investment Scheme as a result of the changes in capital gains tax. (175734)

The 2007 pre-Budget report announced a reform of the capital gains tax regime for individuals. The reliefs available under the Enterprise Investment Scheme remain unchanged. The value of EIS reliefs for investors, and thereby the impact on investee companies, will depend on individual circumstances.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies used the Enterprise Investment Scheme (a) in 2005-06 and (b) in 2006-07; and how many have used it in total. (175735)

National statistics on the number of companies that have issued shares under the Enterprise Investment Scheme, each tax year and in total, are published by HM Revenue and Customs at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/ent_invest_scheme/table8-1.xls

Published totals for 2005-06 and 2006-07 are currently incomplete because companies have up to three years to submit a return informing HM Revenue and Customs of a share issue under the scheme.