§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Industry what finance his Department is investing in information technology in Great Britain; and how this compares with Government assistance in the United States of America, Japan and European Economic Community countries.
§ Mr. ButcherThe finance provided by the Department of Industry for investment in information and related technologies was set out in full in a reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) given on 8 March 1982.— [Vol. 17, c. 321.] It should be clear from the current and projected budget allocations given in that reply that the Department's commitment to the development of information and related technologies is substantial and increasing. In an earlier reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East on 8 February 1982—[Vol. 19, c. 255–56]—it was indicated that comparisons with other countries' Governments' budget 13W allocations could neither be complete nor accurate with the information at the Department's disposal and might only serve to mislead.