HC Deb 27 June 1996 vol 280 cc201-2W
Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what criteria he uses to evaluate the success of the technology foresight programme. [34633]

Mr. Ian Taylor

The aim of the foresight programme is to build partnerships between the science base and industry, with the ultimate objective of using the UK's strengths in science and technology more effectively to increase national wealth and improve the quality of life. In the short and medium term, we are evaluating the success of the programme using a range of intermediate criteria, including: numbers actively involved in the programme; the scale of networking activity generated; the level of industry participation in collaborative projects with the science base addressing foresight priorities; and the number and value of public sector R and D programmes initiated or enhanced in direct response to the foresight recommendations.