Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the total number of calls (a) answered (b) abandoned was for each public helpline numbers provided by his Department and its executive agencies for each year from 2015 to date.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This information is not held centrally and would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold to estimate these figures.
Any member of the public can get in touch with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) helplines on +44 (0) 20 4551 0011 or via our website.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of checks on new company formation with Companies House.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Companies House has developed and is continuing to develop capabilities in data analysis and measures to prevent the registration of misleading information and to better understand what measures will prove effective in preventing the registration of misleading information.
As of 31 October 2025, Companies has addressed 148,084 compliance issues involving 85,201 companies. Performance in this reporting period is on track to meet the ministerial target set out in Companies House’s 2025-2026 Business Plan to act against 150,000 companies.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many companies registered with Companies House were a). trading b). dormant and c). pending strike off action for each year from 2015 to date.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The following table shows the total size of the Register of Companies and the trading status of companies in the specified periods:
Financial Year | Total register at end of period | Trading Status | |
Trading | Dormant | ||
2015-16 | 3,678,860 | 3,191,442 | 487,418 |
2016-17 | 3,896,755 | 3,398,018 | 498,737 |
2017-18 | 4,033,355 | 3,528,417 | 504,938 |
2018-19 | 4,202,044 | 3,681,450 | 520,594 |
2019-20 | 4,350,913 | 3,811,504 | 539,409 |
2020-21 | 4,716,126 | 4,159,227 | 556,899 |
2021-22 | 4,894,356 | 4,294,680 | 599,676 |
2022-23 | 5,116,743 | 4,474,920 | 641,823 |
2023-24 | 5,350,759 | 4,697,033 | 653,726 |
2024-25 | 5,427,787 | 4,757,947 | 669,840 |
The following table shows the status of entities on the register at the start and end of the reporting period:
Financial Year | Total register at end of period | Effective register at end of period | In course of dissolution | In liquidation |
2015-16 | 3,678,860 | 3,433,780 | 160,419 | 84,661 |
2016-17 | 3,896,755 | 3,648,478 | 159,802 | 88,475 |
2017-18 | 4,033,355 | 3,770,022 | 172,455 | 90,878 |
2018-19 | 4,202,044 | 3,926,374 | 185,065 | 90,605 |
2019-20 | 4,350,913 | 4,064,063 | 194,049 | 92,801 |
2020-21 | 4,716,126 | 4,410,236 | 210,732 | 95,158 |
2021-22 | 4,894,356 | 4,499,342 | 293,784 | 101,230 |
2022-23 | 5,116,743 | 4,645,402 | 364,998 | 106,343 |
2023-24 | 5,350,759 | 4,876,374 | 365,033 | 109,352 |
2024-25 | 5,427,787 | 4,872,293 | 443,076 | 112,418 |
Figures in both tables are extracted from management information. They are unaudited and subject to change.
Due to timing differences, discrepancies can occur between the register status statistics and the trading status statistics. Consequently, the trading status statistics have been adjusted proportionally to align with the Official Statistics publication.
A review of the statistics regularly published is ongoing.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of year-round fireworks displays by commercial venues (a) in and (b) near residential areas on social well-being.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No assessment has been made of the potential impact of year-round fireworks displays by commercial venues in and near residential areas on social well-being.
The Government recently launched new guidance for community groups and event organisers on running safe and considerate fireworks displays covering fireworks safety, the gathering of crowds and the impact on the local community. This supplements existing guidance from Government and other organisations that is available to help people to use fireworks safely.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Government-funded business development support in the co-operative and mutual sectors.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade committed to launch a Call for Evidence on co-operative and mutual business. The Call for Evidence will focus on how the government can continue to support co-operative and mutual businesses, to start, grow and scale, as well as support for existing businesses who want to transition to become a co-operative or mutual.
As part of this, we will be collecting data on existing business support for co-operatives and mutuals, including, but not limited to government funded support.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help support the growth of the co-operative sector.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade committed to launch a Call for Evidence on co-operative and mutual business. The Call for Evidence will focus on how the government can continue to support co-operative and mutual businesses, to start, grow and scale, as well as support for existing businesses who want to transition to become a co-operative or mutual.
DBT is also looking at how to integrate support for co-operatives and mutuals within the government’s overall approach for supporting SMEs, including what we can do via the Business Growth Service, and through DBT funded Growth Hubs (England only) which aim to support local businesses, including co-operative and mutuals.