§ 16. Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the budgeted figure has been allocated to link projects in the current financial year.
§ Mr. LeighThe link scheme is organised on a five-yearly basis with a total Government budget of £210 million. To date, 30 programme areas of research have been approved committing the Government to expenditure of £183 million or 87 per cent. of the total.
§ Mr. WrayDoes the Minister agree that the system has been a total failure, which was one of the reasons why the link steering group used consultants to study the scheme? They reported back at the end of January 1991 and commented that one of the reasons for the massive underspending was the fact that one had to have three companies before one could apply. How can the Minister assess how much money will be needed when there has been a shortfall, as there was last year?
§ Mr. LeighIf that programme has been such a failure, why do we now have 30 programmes targeting support for identifiable industrial priority areas, and why are there almost 200 collaborative research programmes? If it is such a failure, why have we committed £183 million? That shows that the Government are totally committed to encouraging academia and industry to work together in that excellent and successful programme.