HC Deb 14 July 1999 vol 335 cc215-6W
Joan Ruddock

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the value of public investment in the biotechnology industry in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000 (i) in total and (ii) as a percentage of total investment in the industry. [87768]

Mr. Battle

This information is not available from official statistics.

DTI and Research Council expenditure on support for technology transfer and innovation in the biotechnology industry is estimated at:

  • £12.8 million for the year 1998–1999; and
  • £15.6 million for the year 1999–2000.

These figures do not include expenditure by other Departments or by the Research Councils on basic research in the bio-sciences. The figures do include Research Council co-funding of LINK programmes.

Figures are not available for the total investment; but dedicated UK biotechnology companies themselves invested an estimated £319 million in R&D in 1997–78.

  • Source:
  • UK biotech '97—making the right moves, Arthur Andersen.