HC Deb 24 May 1993 vol 225 cc451-2W
Mr. Richards

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many small firms merit award for research and technology stage I and stage 2 awards were won by companies in each region of the United Kingdom over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Leigh

Between May 1992 and April this year the number of stage 1 and stage 2 small firms merit awards for research and technology (SMART) scheme were as follows:

Region Stage 1 Stage 2
East 17 7
East Midlands 17 7
North East 8 3
Northern Ireland 6 3
North West 16 10

Region Stage 1 Stage 2
Scotland 17 13
South East 31 20
South West 20 13
Wales 16 8
West Midlands 18 14
Yorks/Humberside 14 10
Total 180 108

There have been a record number of entries to this year's SMART stage I competition. When the 180 winners are announced at the end of July over 1,000 projects will have been supported under the scheme since its inception in 1986.