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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what priorities to improve competitiveness have been revealed since March 1995 as a result of the link programmes on (a) genetic and environmental interactions in health, (b) waste minimisation through recycling, reuse and recovery in industry, (c) competitive industrial materials from non-food crops, (d) sustainable livestock production and (e) integrated approaches to healthy aging. [41226] Mr. Ian Taylor: The programmes you mention are all addressing priorities identified by technology foresight panels. However, collaborative research projects funded through these programmes are only just beginning. These and subsequent projects will provide for research partnerships between companies and the science and engineering base, lasting several years. Based on experience from earlier Link programmes, they can be expected to take forward the development of new technology in high priority areas. There are currently 15 Link programmes addressing foresight priorities and there has been extensive dissemination of information about each programme, with encouragement given to industry--including to small and medium-sized companies--to develop research partnerships with academic institutions, across a range of sectors. Companies which become involved in the programmes the mentions can be expected to improve their competitiveness by exploiting the outcomes of their collaborative research projects in a range of markets.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

41226; 282 c960-1W;282 c958-9W

Session

1995-96

Subjects

Technology Research Science Trade competitiveness LINK programme Foresight