§ 21. Mr. McWalterTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made with the establishment of the national endowment for science, technology and the arts; and if he will make a statement. [105957]
§ Mr. Alan HowarthThe National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) is now fully established and is in a position to begin using the income generated by its £200 million endowment, over f10 million per year, to support innovative ideas and creative individuals. Its Invention and Innovation Programme, which will help turn creative ideas and inventions into reality, opened for applications on 14 December 1999, and the first awards will be made in March. NESTA's other programmes, involving fellowships for exceptionally talented individuals and support for ground-breaking educational schemes, will also come on stream this spring.
Budding inventors and innovators can get in touch with NESTA via its website—www.nesta.org.uk