COMPANIES House, the government agency that holds statutory paperwork filed by businesses across the UK, is looking for a buyer for hundreds of thousands of duplicate records it currently has on Scottish firms.
The microfiche records will include filings up to the end of this year by both live registered firms and those that have been dissolved since 1993 onwards. They cover 93,000 Scottish businesses, which file about 300,000 documents annually.
The move follows a similar sale of duplicate documents by the London office of Companies House, which keeps records covering England and Wales. These were sold two years ago to business information brokerage ICC.
Paul Reynolds, spokesman for Companies House, said the disposal followed declining demand for microfiche by the agency's customers. Most now prefer to receive records in electronic format, making the duplicate set of microfiche redundant.
Those who prefer to receive historical documents in microfiche format will still be able to do so, as Companies House is keeping the original set at its main headquarters in Cardiff. However, microfiche will not be available for filings from January 1 onwards.
Companies House, part of the UK's Department of Trade and Industry, is seeking expressions of interest until December 2. Full specifications will be issued after December 17, with final bids due by February 10.
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