§ Rev William McCreaasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of his Department's research and development expenditure goes to private industry in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland; and how this compares with the past five years.
§ Mr. ButcherThe Department's expenditure on research and development performed in private industry is not collected for the countries of the United Kingdom separately. Offers made under the support for innovation scheme are analysed by country and in the period from 6 May 1982 to 29 February 1984 the proportions were as follows:
England 96 per cent., Wales 0.9 per cent., Scotland 2.9 per cent. and Northern Ireland 0.2 per cent. It should be remembered that there are further schemes of assistance in Northern Ireland available from the Department of Economic Development in Belfast.