§ Mr. Ashdownasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to ensure that the Alvey directorate includes a representative of the small firms sector.
§ Mr. ButcherThe Alvey directorate includes many individuals on secondment from industry, largely at the expense of their firms, but they have been appointed for their particular expertise rather than as representatives of different sectors of industry. Individual small firms are already involved in the preparation of the detailed strategies and in a number of studies carried out on behalf of the directorate.