asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards support for the power engineering industry.

My Department recognises that the power engineering sector needs further work and we therefore consider every possible support for their efforts in securing export orders and in developing their manufacturing facilities to enable them to compete more effectively. Since 1980 the sector has benefited from more than £50 million provided by the Industry Acts and has received more than £160 million from the aid and trade provision (securing more than £750 million export orders) and nearly £500 million from the bilateral aid programme.