§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what incentives for collaboration between business and universities are to be offered to Welsh and Scottish universities. [121664]
§ Ms HewittIn addition to support from the devolved Administrations, Scotland and Wales also benefit from the LINK programme that supports collaborative R&D projects involving HEIs and business, and from the TCS Programme which supports high quality graduates working in companies, normally for two years, on technology transfer projects central to the needs of participating companies. In addition, institutions in both Scotland and Wales are eligible to participate in Science Enterprise Challenge and University Challenge.
The Government intend to publish a Science and Innovation White Paper following the Spending Review 2000. Among other things, it will consider how we can further promote university-industry collaboration, and how we might better encourage our scientists, engineers and business people to take full advantage of the UK's expertise in science and technology, to create wealth and improve the quality of our lives.