Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform written question – answered at on 26 November 2008.
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many new businesses were started in (a) Kent and (b) Ashford constituency in each year since 2001.
The numbers of businesses registering for VAT and the total number of VAT registered businesses in the county of Kent and in Ashford constituency are shown in the following tables.
Data for the number of VAT registrations during 2007 will be available on
VAT registrations | ||||||
2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
Kent county(1) | 4,120 | 4,405 | 4,695 | 4,355 | 4,245 | 4,515 |
Ashford constituency | 395 | 425 | 470 | 470 | 430 | 455 |
Start of year VAT stock( 2) | |||||||
2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |
Kent county(1) | 40,705 | 41,465 | 42,325 | 43,520 | 44,335 | 44,855 | 45,980 |
Ashford constituency | 4,040 | 4,085 | 4,150 | 4,290 | 4,400 | 4,425 | 4,550 |
(1) Kent county excludes Medway unitary authority (2) Although start of year stock data is available for 2007, data on new VAT registrations during 2007 will not be available until 28 November 2008. Source: BERR National Statistics publication 'Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2006' available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm |
Although the number of new registrations has fluctuated since 2001, the total number of VAT registered businesses in Kent increased from 40,705 at the start of 2001 to 45,980 at the start of 2007, an increase of 5,275 (13 per cent.). The total number of VAT registered businesses in Ashford constituency increased from 4,040 at the start of 2001 to 4,550 at the start of 2007, an increase of 510 (13 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.
Yes0 people think so
No0 people think not
Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.