§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and industry if she will list the companies which have received support from the Overseas Projects Fund since 1997, stating in each instance(a) the amount received by each company and (b) the project for which the support was provided. [151515]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Overseas Projects Fund (OPF) Scheme closed to new applications on 7 July 2003. The scheme provides financial assistance towards the pre-contractual costs incurred by British companies when pursuing major overseas projects. It does not provide finance for the project involved. Since 1 January 1997, 100 companies have received OPF funding of1364W £21 million in respect of 154 projects. Disclosure of individual OPF awards to companies could compromise their efforts to win overseas business. (Exemptions 13 and 14 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information apply—third party confidentiality and information given in confidence).