Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many small businesses closed in each financial year from 2010-11 to date.
Answered by Paul Scully
Data on business closures by size of business are not available. The data provided below covers all registered business closures in the UK for the periods specified.
According to the business counts published in 2020 by the Office for National Statistics in UK business: activity, size and location, 98.1% of all registered business are small (0 to 49 employees). Therefore, the vast majority of business closures are very likely to be small businesses.
Data on business closures over the last 3 financial years are shown in table 1:
Table 1: Number of business closures by financial year, all registered businesses
Financial Year | Number of business closures |
2019/2020 | 383,000 |
2018/2019 | 348,000 |
2017/2018 | 351,000 |
Source: Office for National Statistics: Business Demography, quarterly experimental statistics, UK
Prior to 2017 data are only available for calendar years, rather than financial years. The number of closures in each calendar year is shown in table 2:
Table 2: Number of business closures by calendar year, all registered businesses
Calendar year | Number of business closures |
2019 | 336,000 |
2018 | 311,000 |
2017 | 346,000 |
2016 | 281,000 |
2015 | 282,000 |
2014 | 246,000 |
2013 | 238,000 |
2012 | 252,000 |
2011 | 230,000 |
2010 | 277,000 |
Source: Office for National Statistics: Business demography, UK statistical bulletin
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the (a) potential for and (b) benefits of local electricity generation.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
There can be many benefits from local electricity generation, including greater consumer engagement with electricity and how it is generated.
In 2019, we generated record levels of solar and wind energy and continue to be the world’s leader for offshore wind.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with Oldham Council on the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement on the availability of fuel for emergency services.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government has been implementing a significant programme of work to ensure the UK will be ready to leave the European Union on 31st October in all scenarios, including in the event of a Brexit without a withdrawal agreement.
Our priority is to maintain normal fuel deliveries in any of these scenarios and my officials continue to hold discussions with industry, other Government Departments and Local Resilience Fora (including Greater Manchester Resilience Forum of which Oldham Council are a member) to ensure that this objective is met.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with Oldham Council on the potential effect on small businesses in Oldham of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions her Department has had with Oldham Council on the potential effect on energy prices of the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what equality impact assessment has been undertaken on the franchising of 74 crown post offices to WHSmith announced in October 2018.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government recognises the critical role that post offices play in communities and for small businesses across the UK. This is why the Government committed to safeguard the post office network and protect existing rural services. The overall number of post offices across the UK remains at its most stable in decades with over 11,500 branches thanks to significant Government investment of over £2 billion since 2010.
While the Government sets the strategic direction for the Post Office, it allows the company the commercial freedom to deliver this strategy as an independent business. Impact assessments in respect of the franchising of Crown Post Offices to WHSmith are an operational matter for the Post Office. I have therefore asked the Group Chief Executive of Post Office Limited, to write to the hon. Member on this matter. A copy of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.