VerbatimParliament, as it happens

New Businesses

Asked by Jim ShannonDemocratic Unionist PartyDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 26 May 2026UIN 1938

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of regional disparities in business start-up rates across the UK.

Answered by Blair McDougall

Data on regional start-up rates is available via the Office for National Statistics Business Demography publication. Latest data shows that London has the highest rate of business births and Northern Ireland has the lowest. There has been relatively little movement in disparities in regional start-up rates in recent years (2021 to 2024).

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim