§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Manufacturing Advisory Service; and whether her Department will continue to fund this service in future years. [153433]
§ Jacqui SmithI receive regular reports on the performance of the Manufacturing Advisory Service. These highlight the great success that the service has achieved as a source of practical advice and support to manufacturers in England and Wales since its launch in April 2002. More than 5,400 companies have benefited from initial diagnostic visits by the service's expert 1363W advisers; of these, over 1,100 have gone on to undertake in-depth projects, resulting in productivity improvements averaging 38 per cent. and an annualised added value benefit approaching £38 million.
The Department's funding for the Manufacturing Advisory Service, which is at least matched by the English Regional Development Agencies and the Welsh Development Agency, will amount to £4.7 million in 2003–04 and £3.4 million in 2004–05. We are in the process of discussing with the Regional Development Agencies how the service will be funded in future years.