§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to 1097W ensure that support is provided by the wider business support infrastructure to assist Smart award-winners to take the outputs of their projects into the market place. [152056]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe Smart scheme in England has now been replaced by Grant for Research and Development. All potential applicants for the grants are urged to discuss their plans with their local Business Link operator before making an application and grant recipients are strongly encouraged to maintain a dialogue with Business Link throughout the period of the project and beyond. Business Link acts as a gateway to most of the services the Government offers to small and medium-sized businesses in England and Business Link Advisers can offer information and advice on all aspects of setting up and running a business. Business Link provides advice to over 300,000 small businesses every year at start up and growth stages with the quality and reach of that advice increasing all the time.