Written question asked by Ashok Kumar (Labour) on Tuesday, 24 June 2003, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 9 July 2003. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 July 2003 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to assess the effectiveness of regional assistance schemes such as regional selective assistance and enterprise grants; and if she will make a statement. - Including ref to www.dti.gov.uk/support/rsajf2512001.htm.

Answer: Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to assess the effectiveness of regional assistance schemes such as Regional Selective Assistance and Enterprise Grants; and if she will make a statement. [122223] Jacqui Smith: The Department routinely commissions a programme of independent evaluations of the impact of its business support programmes, including Regional Selective Assistance and the Enterprise Grant Scheme. The Enterprise Grant Scheme was created in 2000 and has not therefore existed long enough to result in meaningful independent evaluation. Recently funded Regional Selective Assistance projects were evaluated in 2000, and the results of the evaluation are available on www.dti.gov.uk/support/rsajf2512001.htm. Regional Selective Assistance and the Enterprise Grant Scheme are being considered in the context of the Department's reassessment of the business support it provides. In future the effectiveness of these and all business support programmes will be monitored on an ongoing basis using a balanced scorecard approach.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 122223; 408 c796-7W;408 c794-5W
Session: 2002-03
Subjects: Business Grants Standards Regional assistance Regional selective assistance Enterprise grant scheme
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk