To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the amount of money spent or committed from the business development consultancy service initiative, introduced on 31 March for each standard region in the period 31 March to the most recent date for which information is available.

The business planning and financial and information systems consultancy initiatives were launched on 29 March 1988. So far no consultancies under either initiative have been completed. In the period from 31 March to 17 June 821 cases have been referred to the scheme contractors who are managing the two initiatives. The actual cost to the Department can only be known when the consultancies have been completed but estimates of the commitment for each DTI region^* and for Scotland and Wales are as follows: