§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give his estimate of the percentage of firms applying microelectronic devices to their products in the United States of America and in the leading EEC countries.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldI am not aware of any information available on which to base such an estimate. Evidence of products coming to the market place from these countries, however, indicates a much higher rate of take-up of the technology than in United Kingdom industry. The microprocessor applications project is, of course, intended to help correct this situation.
Mr. Jim Callaghanasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many firms in the North-West region have applied for assistance in developing the use of microelectronics.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldEight firms in the North-West region have so far made application for assistance under the microprocessor application project.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Industry, in the light of the Little report on employment prospects created by microelectronics technology, what action he is taking to ensure that the United Kingdom derives more jobs than is currently forecasted.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldThe Government's view, reinforced in the A.D. Little report, is that the net employment effect will be much better if we apply microelectronics vigorously than if we lag behind our competitors. We have actively supported manufacture of microelectronic devices, and the Prime Minister announced at NEDC on 6 December 1978 a programme, endorsed by the TUC and CBI, to accelerate their application throughout industry.