§ Mr. PawseyTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reason small motor accident claims are excluded from the small claims court procedure in Northern Ireland.
Mr. John M. TaylorThe scope of the small claims procedure in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland County Court Rules Committee. In line with the different historical development of the procedure in that jurisdiction, motor accident claims are currently excluded from the small claims court. In the light of a recent report by the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, I understand that the Rules Committee will be invited to re-examine this issue early in the new year.
Know-how fund: Pre-investment feasibility studies (PIFS) scheme Number of investment operations: Year Number of applications approved1 Total grant offered Number of reports on studies submitted to date going ahead not going ahead not yet decided2 Number of reports awaited £ 1990 10 111,965 10 7 2 1 — 1991 65 1,723,467 60 33 19 8 5 1992 94 2,501,922 64 37 13 14 30 31993 80 2,050,928 30 25 0 5 50 Totals 249 6,388,282 164 102 34 28 85 1 This column excludes 24 offers of grant which were accepted, but subsequently withdrawn, by applicants, or which lapsed. 2 ie at time of submission of report on study to FCO. 3 To 14 December.