§ Mr. GunnellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what funding followed the transfer of responsibility for technology transfer from the DTI to the Office of Science and Technology.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThere has been no movement of responsibility for technology transfer from DTI to the Office of Science and Technology—OST—and therefore no transfer of funding.
The recent White Paper on science, engineering and technology—Cm 2250—sets out mission statements for both the OST and DTI. Part of OST's role is to stimulate transfer of technology between the science and engineering base and industry, for example through the LINK programme. DTI continues to have a wider responsibility for technology transfer between industry and all other providers of science and technology whether based in the United Kingdom or overseas.