§ 22. Mr. Anthony CoombsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what grants have been made in the current year under the Konver initiative.
§ Mr. SainsburyNone so far. The Konver programme for the United Kingdom was approved by the Commission only on 19 November. An announcement of grants allocated will be made early in December.
§ Mr. CoombsWhile waiting in eager anticipation for that undoubtedly much-valued programme, will my right hon. Friend support, when it comes along, the application from Royal Ordnance in my constituency for a bomb-proof 451 waste paper container, which will be valuable in view of the current activities of the IRA? Can he confirm that there is no feeling against small and medium-sized companies in relation to the criteria for the Konver programme? That is certainly something about which the office of the Department of Trade and Industry in the west midlands has hinted.
§ Mr. SainsburyI congratulate my hon. Friend on finding a perhaps slightly unexpected opportunity to 452 commend that project in his constituency. As I said earlier, the Konver national programme committee is meeting today. I can assure my hon. Friend that it will be looking carefully at all the schemes, including the one to which he has referred. There is no prejudice against schemes from small companies. We are looking for quality schemes, and I believe that we shall find a large number of such schemes to support.