Vol. 412 No. 7
39 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce the number of private limited companies in this country; the number of these which have lodged returns with the Companies Registration Office under the Companies Acts; the number of such computerised returns on which information is currently available; if he has satisfied himself with the rate of registration and processing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I am informed by the Registrar of Companies that 113,387 private limited companies were on the register on 10 November 1991. Of those 91,907 currently liable to submit annual returns, the latest data indicate that 67,337 have so done.
I would refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 15 on 26 February 1991 (columns 1457-9 of the Official Report), particularly to the references to the ongoing modernisation programme in the Companies Registration Office. A computerised imaging system was introduced at the Companies Registration Office (CRO) from 4 May 1990 in respect of all new companies registered from that date. The system has since been extended to include all documents received with effect from 11 March 1991. A copy of the scanned image, similar to a photocopy of all documents received, including annual returns, is available on demand at the CRO. I am informed that the number of such returns currently available is 38,616, as on 7 November 1991. While the rate of registration and processing has indeed improved in 1991, the registration process has really become secondary to the scanning process. Scanned documents are currently available to the public within ten days of receipt, whereas before the introduction of scanning, registration preceded the making available of documents to the public.
Public access to company records at the CRO has been significantly improved with the introduction of the computerised imaging system. The availability of scanned images on demand is a new service which will greatly improve the efficiency of the office. Public access to CRO records will be further enhanced in the coming months with the introduction of remote access to scanned data by facsimile machines, thereby reducing the necessity to personally attend at the CRO.
