§ Mr. John EvansTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what was the initial three-year budget of his Department's environmental technology innovation scheme in October 1990; and how much has been spent to date;
(2) when he expects to finalise the environmental technology innovation scheme budget for the next financial year.
§ Mr. EggarThe initial budget for the environmental technology innovation scheme—ETIS—was £12 million divided equally between my Department and the Department of the Environment. Of the £2.96 million my Department has committed on approved projects £570,935 has been spent to date.
With regard to the budget for the next financial year, allocations under the Department's innovation budget will be made in the light of the priorities for the Department's science and technology expenditure, and the public expenditure outturn figures for 1992–93. For these reasons, the exact timing for a decision on the ETIS budget for the next financial year is not settled at this stage.