§ Mrs. LaitTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he is giving to a code of practice for grant consultants; and if he will make a statement. [20327]
§ Mr. PageI support the idea of a code of practice for grant consultants, and welcome any private sector initiative that provides a commitment to raising standards and makes it easier for businesses to identify bona fide consultants. One small business organisation has approached me on the subject already.
Many information brokers in the UK have now adopted a European code of conduct known as EIRENE/—European information researchers network—which lays down the basic principles of responsible research and information provision.