§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of (a) the £72 million in 1980–81 and (b) the £85 million in 1981–82 which his Department will spend on research and development will be allocated to firms employing fewer than 200 people.
§ Mr. WigginOf my Department's total expenditure on research and development in 1980–81, 1.9 per cent. went to firms employing fewer than 200 people. It is expected that the corresponding figure for 1981–82 will be 2.2 per cent. In both years the major part of this expenditure has been with research associations serving the food industry, three of which have fewer than 200 employees (and the fourth about 220 employees) and my Department places contracts with all of them. Out of my Department's total expenditure on food research and development in 1980–81, 20 per cent. went to firms employing fewer than 200 people and in 1981–82 it is expected that the corresponding figure will be 21 per cent.