§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the costs of the matchmaking activities element of the National Business Angels Networks was; and when it was decided not to continue funding this element. [157240]
§ Nigel GriffithsIt is not possible to identify, separately, the costs of the matchmaking activities element of the National Business Angels Network. As I stated in my earlier reply of 2 February 2004,Official Report, column 647W, it was as a result of the findings of the external evaluation that we decided not to provide any funding for these activities from the start of the current financial year.
Our current agreement letter makes it explicit that NBAN's matchmaking facility is expected to operate separately from the rest of its activities and that no DTI grant monies should be used to subsidise this element.