To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received a copy of the Engineering Council report published on 29 May concerning the Government's assistance to manufacturing industry to encourage innovation; and if he will make a statement.

The Engineering Council published a press release on 29 May on its written evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology which is looking at "Innovation in Manufacturing Industry". My Department has given both oral and written evidence to this inquiry. The Government will respond in the normal manner to the Select Committee's findings once its report has been published.