Written question asked by Brian H Donohoe (Labour) on Wednesday, 15 December 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 21 December 2004. It was answered by Nigel Griffiths (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 December 2004 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, how many SMART awards and grants for research and development have been given since 1997; what their total value was; and if she will make an estimate of the value that the grants and awards added to companies in terms of (a) cash, (b) jobs and (c) exports. - Including table. (Holding answer 20 December 2004).

Answer: Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many Smart awards and grants for research and development have been given since 1997; what their total value was; and if she will make an estimate of the value that the grants and awards added to companies in terms of (a) cash, (b) jobs and (c) exports. [206296] Nigel Griffiths: [holding answer 20 December 2004]: The information requested is as follows: _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Financial year Number of awards (offers of grant) Value of awards (offers of grant) (£ million) 1997-98 455 30.2 1998-99 402 24.0 1999-2000 396 19.3 2000-01 578 28.6 2001-02 829 34.0 2002-03 1,140 46.5 2003-04 919 59.4 Total 4,719 242 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. The figures are for offers of grant made under the Smart scheme in England between 1 March 1997 and 31 March 2004. Smart closed to applications on 31 August 2003. The Grant for Research and Development, which built upon the Smart scheme, began accepting applications on 1 June 2003. The most recent, independent evaluation of Smart in 2000-01 found that (a) annual turnover was nearly £500 million higher, (b) employment was more than 8,000 higher and (c) annual exports were nearly £270 million higher than they would have been without the scheme.

Secondary information