§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what was the total cost to his Department of supporting the vehicle emissions consortium's programme;
(2) when the vehicle emissions consortium programme was concluded; what action he has taken as a result; and if he will place a copy of its reports in the Library.
§ Mr. EggarThe total grant contribution from my Department in support of the United Kingdom engine emissions consortium's programme of research into petrol and diesel technologies amounted to £1,810,815. The last project in the programme concluded on 31 July 1992.
The 11 collaborators in the consortium are the main beneficiaries of the research conducted. They are obliged to take reasonable steps to exploit the results of the projects in which they participated and, if necessary, to co-operate with my Department in securing an alternative person or persons to undertake such exploitation. In addition, my Department will ensure that the results of the programme, once fully evaluated, will contribute to United Kingdom policy formation on vehicle emissions legislation.
Consortium members are preparing public presentations on the programme. I shall ensure that copies of these are placed in the Library of the House. Reports on the results of the programme provided to the Department by the member companies in the consortium contain commercially confidential information. It is open to the hon. Member to contact Perkins Technology Ltd. of Peterborough, the central co-ordinator of the programme, which will seek the agreement of the member companies to provide the hon. Member with more specific project information.