To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many businesses have started up in Leeds, North-West constituency since 1997; and how many of those businesses were operating in the latest period for which figures are available. (319503)

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2010:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many businesses have started up in Leeds, North-West constituency since 1997; and how many of those businesses were operating in the latest period for which figures are available [319503].

The ONS release on Business Demography at

www.statistics.gov.uk

gives information on five year survival rates, but these are not available prior to 2003. The table below contains the latest statistics available on survival into 2008 for Leeds, North-West.