§ Mr. Brocklebank-Fowlerasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will list in the Official Report details of grants available for market research for British companies in overseas markets;
(2) if he will publish in the Official Report an account of the procedures whereby private companies apply for and are considered for grants in support of market research activities in overseas markets.
§ Mr. MeacherDetails of the grants available and the procedures whereby private companies apply and are considered for them are given in the official leaflet describing the British Overseas Trade Board's Export Marketing Research Scheme, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Brocklebank-Fowlerasked the Secretary of State for Trade how much public money has been voted for grants in support of market research in overseas markets for the current financial 372W year; and if he is satisfied with the rate of uptake by private companies.
§ Mr. MeacherPublic money voted in support of export marketing research is £400,000 in the current financial year. This sum is available to exporters under the British Overseas Trade Board's Export marketing Research Scheme. Since 1971–72 the uptake by individual companies has risen from 22 projects costing £36,000 to 242 projects costing £263,000 in 1975–76. During the same period the total number of projects assisted under the Scheme rose from 23 costing £40,000 to 252 costing £302,000. This continuous growth in usage of the scheme is satisfactory.