§ Mr. Moonmanasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about his plans to encourage smaller firms to employ expert advisers.
§ Mr. CroslandI am today launching a pilot scheme to help smaller firms in the Glasgow and Bristol areas to increase their efficiency and profitability by employing consultants and other expert advisers. The scheme will enable industrial and commercial firms—in the main those with between 25 and 500 employees—to obtain grants of up to 50 per cent. of such expenditure to improve their management, product design, and production and marketing methods. Subject to the approval of Parliament, expenditure of up to £500,000 is proposed on the scheme, and a supplementary estimate will be presented in due course.