§ Mr. David ShawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.
§ Mr. EggarThe Government continue to place high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures and through specific programmes of support and assistance. Consonant with this, the Department operates a policy of including small firms on tender lists where appropriate. In 1990–91 it is estimated that about 35 per cent. of the Department's orders were placed with small firms: of the estimated £15.9 million which the Department spent on goods and services, some £4 million benefited small firms. Comparable estimates for last year are £11.5 million and £.4.2 million. The Department is developing mechanisms to monitor more closely the proportion of its orders placed with small businesses.