§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money his Department has spent supporting the research and development of agricultural biotechnology since 1 May 1997. [72070]
§ Mr. Battle[holding answer 23 February 1999]: The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, principally funded from the Science Budget for which the Office of Science and Technology is responsible, spent £13.8 million on agricultural biotechnology in the financial year 1997–98 and expects to spend some £14.5 million in the current financial year, 1998–99. The Department itself does not sponsor food or agriculture companies, and none of its funding is directed specifically at agricultural biotechnology.