HC Deb 13 January 1988 vol 125 cc305-6W
28. Mr. Ingram

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to increase the level of research and development spending by Government and industry.

Mr. Butcher

It is my Department's intention to increase its support for its total research and development programme, including its support for EC research and development programmes.

My Department has recently undertaken a review of innovation policy and its conclusions were announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 12 January. The review concluded that the balance of existing innovation policy should be altered and that greater emphasis should be placed on encouragement of collaborative programmes and technology transfer. It also noted that the general scheme for providing innovation grant assistance to individual companies should be ended, although small high technology companies should continue to be encouraged.

We are encouraging United Kingdom industry to increase its funding of research and development, but it is not for Government to plan what industry should spend.