HC Deb 30 October 1992 vol 212 cc947-8W
Mr. Cousins

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the current priorities of his Department's innovation unit; and if he will list the projects and research reports it has commissioned externally since April.

Mr. Leigh

My Department's innovation unit was established to promote market driven innovation—the successful exploitation of new ideas—as the key to sustained competitiveness and wealth creation. The unit works alongside many different organisations as a catalyst for increasing the understanding of innovation and activities related to innovation. It provides support and assistance to existing projects where appropriate.

Its current priorities are:

  1. (i) increasing the importance, and improving the management, of innovation at all levels in business;
  2. (ii) improving the commercial exploitation of the United Kingdom's science and technology base;
  3. (iii) improving communication about innovation between firms and their investors, including the banks;
  4. (iv) increasing the level of appreciation throughout the education system of the importance of technology, engineering and innovation to everyday life and to wealth creation;
  5. (v) increasing public awareness and understanding of the role of innovation in wealth creation;
  6. (vi) ensuring consistency and synergy between the overall message and the content, rules, marketing and delivery of innovation-related DTI schemes and services, with a view to simplification where possible.

The following external reports have been commissioned since April 1992;

  1. 1. A study on the collaborative links between Polytechnics and Business. (Academic Industry Links Organisation; reported May 1992).
  2. 2. A market assessment study on the need for improved literature to explain the essentials of obtaining finance to small firms and to inform investors about the financial requirements of such firms. (Segal Quince Wicksteed; reported August 1992).
  3. 3. A market assessment study on the usefulness of an Innovation and Technology Review to small and medium sized firms. (Metra Martech; reported August 1992).
  4. 4. A study of the usefulness to firms of the NEDO "Innovation Management Toolkit". (The Success Group; reported August 1992).
  5. 5. A study on the feasibility of developing and objective method of innovation benchmarking in firms. (London Business School; not yet reported).
  6. 6. A study on the use of the UK science base by small firms (Science Policy Research Unit; not yet reported).
  7. 7. A study on the perceptions of firms in the Yorkshire/Humberside region of the value of DTI innovation-related schemes (SIBTECH; not yet reported).

The innovation unit has commissioned the following projects since April 1992:

  1. 1 The annual UK R&D Scoreboard (published in "The Independent" 9 June 1992).
  2. 2. The 1993 UK Innovation Lecture, in collaboration with the Royal Society, The Royal Academy of Engineering, The CBI and the Design Council.
  3. 3. Contributions on generic technologies in an innovation pack for schools produced by Michael Benn & Associates.
  4. 4. A brochure, "Measurement in Sport", for schools in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory.
  5. 5. A series of 8 videos and teacher support material "Innovation—Wealth from Science and Engineering" for schools use and national broadcast.

Mr. Cousins

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number of staff in his Department's innovation unit.

Mr. Leigh

The DTI innovation unit comprises 15 staff of whom five are senior industrialists on secondment.

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