COMPANY LIQUIDATIONS

There were 2,900 liquidations in England and Wales in the first quarter of 2005 on a seasonally adjusted basis. This was a decrease of 1.3% on the previous quarter and a decrease of 7.4% on the same period a year ago.

This was made up of 1,064 compulsory liquidations, a decrease of 5.9% on the previous quarter and a decrease of 9.2% on the corresponding quarter of last year, and 1,835 creditors voluntary liquidations, an increase of 1.5% on the previous quarter and a decrease of 6.3% on the corresponding quarter of last year.

0.7% of active companies went into liquidation in the twelve months ended Q1 2005, the same as the previous quarter and a decrease on the corresponding quarter of 2004.