VAT registration data provide the only accurate indicator of the level of business start-up activity.
The number of new VAT registrations in each London borough are shown as follows for 1997 to 2006. Data for registrations in 2007 will be available autumn 2008.
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 London 35,825 37,690 36,210 36,330 33,400 32,955 35,750 35,320 34,875 34,825 Barking and Dagenham 280 305 340 365 320 315 345 350 330 370 Barnet 2,360 2,350 2,050 2,075 1,815 1,740 1,715 1,700 1,605 1,490 Bexley 655 585 565 585 620 545 580 580 535 560 Brent 1,205 1,185 1,135 1,200 1,085 1,040 1,175 1,175 1,105 1,135 Bromley 1,065 1,140 925 940 965 965 985 1,015 920 1,015 Camden 2,405 2,405 2,310 2,245 1,885 1,880 2,050 1,985 1,915 1,925 City of London 1,075 1,220 1,290 1,450 1,110 1,065 1,100 1,130 1,385 1,385 Croydon 1,045 1,070 970 970 945 975 1,065 965 1,030 960 Ealing 1,240 1,215 1,175 1,175 1,150 1,160 1,315 1,280 1,250 1,350 Enfield 830 875 850 895 830 860 -895 900 840 865 Greenwich 560 565 520 510 495 490 515 550 575 600 Hackney 995 1,130 1,095 1,155 1,025 1,020 1,060 980 960 990 Hammersmith and Fulham 970 1,135 1,020 1,010 970 930 960 1,065 1,045 1,000 Haringey 930 980 975 965 880 840 915 905 850 790 Harrow 950 1,065 900 960 915 935 985 970 925 835 Havering 725 765 655 655 635 630 620 625 630 635 Hillingdon 905 920 835 860 765 850 855 870 845 845 Hounslow 795 835 820 810 810 795 840 875 875 900 Islington 1,520 1,570 1,415 1,340 1,180 1,190 1,270 1,315 1,370 1,345 Kensington and Chelsea 1,075 1,115 1,165 1,200 905 1,065 1,095 1,170 1,125 1,205 Kingston upon Thames 670 695 605 640 615 595 610 640 640 585 Lambeth 860 905 885 840 1,000 850 880 990 945 985 Lewisham 625 660 635 615 605 590 605 660 590 635 Merton 745 830 720 765 695 655 725 705 725 830 Newham 530 580 555 565 530 565 650 620 580 620 Redbridge 840 930 855 870 810 755 865 830 815 830 Richmond upon Thames 975 1,010 960 955 895 1,000 1,020 945 975 1,000 Southwark 1,005 1,080 1,015 1,100 940 985 1,080 1,100 1,135 1,090 Sutton 595 600 535 510 505 495 560 525 520 525 Tower Hamlets 975 1,080 1,100 1,085 920 940 1,055 1,065 1,295 1,180 Waltham Forest 685 715 725 655 630 660 685 700 685 615 Wandsworth 1,160 1,210 1,215 1,170 1,105 1,105 1,245 1,380 1,310 1,370 Westminster 4,570 4,960 5,390 5,195 4,840 4,455 5,430 4,760 4,545 4,375 Source: Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations 1994-2006, available at: http://www.stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat
Although the number of new registrations has fluctuated over the period, the total number of VAT registered businesses in London has increased from 241,000 at the start of 1997 to 309,000 at the start of 2007, an increase of 68,000 (28 per cent.).
VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was £60,000 at the start of 2006. Only 1.9 million out of 4.5 million UK enterprises (43 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2006.
Over the last 10 years a range of Government programmes have supported business start-ups in London. These programmes include the single regeneration budget programme, European structural funds, Business Link, LEGI and a range of other programmes supported by the LDA and BERR.
Neither my Department nor the LDA, keep central records about the aggregate number of business start ups which have been supported by these programmes. Given the potential range of relevant programmes, the compilation of the information required to answer this question could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.