§ Lembit ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made on the recommendations contained in the Government's Near Earth Object Taskforce Report; how much money has been spent since January 2001 on implementing the recommendations contained in the Government's Near Earth Object Taskforce Report; and if she will make a statement. [116732]
§ Ms HewittThe Government issued its response to the Taskforce Report in February 2001 and an update to the response was issued in January 2002. A key objective for the Government in supporting the thrust of the Task Force's Report was to raise international awareness of this issue and thus to achieve international cooperation in getting to grips with the issues. I believe that this has been achieved. For example, in January 2003 the Global Science Forum of the Organisation for Economic 537W Cooperation and Development held a workshop dedicated to the subject, and a report of this workshop will be considered at a July 2003 meeting of the group.
DTI has committed a sum of around £460,000 to the area of Near Earth Objects between January 2001 and March 2004. An update on progress will be provided in the autumn.