§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Northern Ireland firms have been assisted by the International Tendering Fund; and what the effect has been on winning overseas contracts. [149211]
§ Mr. PearsonSince the inception of Invest NI on 1 April 2002 the International Tendering Fund has assisted 15 companies. Although no tenders have been won to date, many of these projects are still ongoing. The process can take up to three years for an international tender contract to be awarded, and Invest NI continue to track the progress of all fund participants.