§ 14. Dr. StarkeyTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the contribution of the science base to the UK economy as a whole. [55067]
§ Mr. MandelsonThe strength of Britain's science base is absolutely fundamental to the success of the UK economy. I plan to publish soon a Competitiveness White Paper which will demonstrate how the use and application of science is helping companies meet the challenges of the knowledge driven economy.
The UK's future success depends crucially on a partnership between the science base and the commercial sector. Most importantly, it depends on the well-trained, skilled people produced by and working in our scientific centres.