§ 31. Mr. DobbinTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the impact of the fifth framework research programme on the UK science, engineering and technology sectors. [49403]
§ Mr. BattleThe fifth framework programme is currently the subject of negotiation with other member States and with the European Parliament. The Council's common position, agreed unanimously during the UK Presidency in February 1998, envisages a programme which will be clearly focused on areas where research at a European level can be expected to make a contribution to increased competitiveness and improvements in quality of life. The aim is to agree the programme, which will run until the end of 2002, by the end of this year. I expect the UK science, engineering and technology sectors to participate strongly in this programme, as they have done in previous programmes.