§ 22. Mr. Colin Shepherdasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied with the response to the small firms technical inquiry service.
§ Mr. MacGregorThe response has been good, given the limited marketing of the service so far. Since it began last June, inquiries have been received from over 1,200 firms. Inquiries are currently running at a rate of 50 to 60 per week. But I am keen that many more firms should be aware of its existence as early evidence shows that it is beneficial and cost-effective.