asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for the Environment on the possibility of the transfer of the Development Commission and the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas to his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The two Departments are at present carrying out pilot schemes of joint management of the advisory services of the small firms service and CoSIRA in three areas. The chairman of CoSIRA and I review this experiment from time to time and a definitive view of the results and lessons will be made in the autumn.