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Small Business Research Initiative

On 13 December 2005 in response to a question from the honourable Member for Burnley (Kitty Ussher), Official Report, Commons, col. 1907W, Alun Michael, Minister for Industry and the Regions informed the House that the DTI's Small Business Service (SBS) would shortly be publishing the overall small business research initiative (SBRI) performance figures for 2003–04 and 2004–05. I have today published these figures. A copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House. The overall SBRI target is that government departments will procure at least 2.5 per cent of their extramural R&D from small firms. Very good progress is being made. In 2004–05, of a proposed SBRI baseline of £2,532.9 million, £269.1 million (10.6 per cent) went to small firms in the form of contracts. Also on 12 December 2005, in reply to a Question from the honourable Member for Burnley (Official Report, Commons, col. 1675W) as to whether the guidelines issued to all government departments in implementing the mandatory SBRI would be placed in the Library, the Minister for Industry and the Regions said the guidelines were being revised and would be placed in the Library shortly; the updated guidelines have, today, been placed in the Libraries.