§ Mr. Charles Irvingasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will enhance the protection afforded to British industry against the exploitation of British research by multinational companies in their plants abroad when their British operations are capable of this work.
§ Mr. Butcher[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1983, c. 435]: The Government encourage multinational companies to establish research facilities in Britain and to apply the results to the benefit of the United Kingdom. I am satisfied that where companies are in receipt of Government assistance for R & D, existing arrangements allow my Department to ensure that the United Kingdom derives maximum benefit from the support provided. Where companies have themselves funded R & D, it is for them to decide, in the light of their own commercial judgment, how the results are to be exploited.