§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many regional development agencies have established links with the Small Business Research Initiative; and what the nature of the co-operation is in each case. [160141]
§ Nigel GriffithsThe Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) is a procurement measure designed to make it easier for smaller companies to win contracts for Government-funded research which will help them grow their businesses. The participants in SBRI are those Government Departments with significant spends on R&D, and the Research Councils, rather than RDAs.