§ Mr. Staintonasked the Secretary of State for Industry how much of his Department's expenditure on research and development is spent directly with private sector firms; and whether that level of spending has been maintained over the last five years.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThe Department of Industry spend £75 million in 1981–82, provisional outturn, on R & D carried out within private industry. In 1977–78 such expenditure was £17 million. The table shows how direct expenditure on R & D in the private sector has increased by more than two and a half times during the last five years in real terms.
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Department of Industry expenditure on R & D in the private sector Year Current prices Constant prices (Mid-1982)* £ million £ million 1977–78 17 31 1978–79 27 43 1979–80 52 69 1980–81 68 81 1981–82 †75 80 * Figures have been corrected to mid-1982 prices by reference to an index of R & D costs. The Department of Industry contributions to the European Space Agency are excluded, though most of this money returns to United Kingdom industry by way of contracts. † Provisional.