§ Mr. Batisteasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to extend the design advisory service funded consultancy scheme to manufacturing businesses with fewer than 60 employees.
§ Mr. ButcherI cannot take such steps at present. The funds for the scheme are fully committed to meeting applications from firms currently eligible. To extend the scheme to small manufacturing firms would create a demand which could not be met by existing allocations. I would, however, give the suggestion sympathetic consideration if extra funding were to become available.