asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about the National Enterprise Board's guidelines.

Within the new framework established by the Industry Act 1980 I have issued a direction giving the National Enterprise Board revised guidelines. The substance remains the same as the draft guidelines which were laid before Parliament on 11 December last during the Committee stage of the Industry Bill. However, a number of amendments have been made to take account of discussions with the NEB and of representations that I have received since the draft was published. A copy of the direction has been laid before Parliament today.