§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what support the Engineering Council received from her Department in developing its regulatory document, "Standards and Routes to Registration"; what is her Department's policy towards the document in respect of its application to the engineering profession and the engineering industry in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [12799]
§ Mr. BattleThe Department of Trade and Industry has provided strategic advice to the Engineering Council during the drafting of the revised edition of Standards and Routes to Registration (SARTOR)—especially concerning the needs of industry. I support the requirements set out in the revised SARTOR in so far as they aim to raise standards within engineering to improve the UK's competitiveness.