To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was given in grants by the Department for research and development relating to (a) the environment and (b) waste in the years 1998 to 2002; and what the projected allocation is for (i) 2003–04 and (ii) 2005. [115773]

My Department has provided the following funding for research and development relating to waste and the environment (it is not possible to distinguish between the two classifications):

	£
1998–99	490,000
1999–2000	547,000
2000–01	738,000
2001–02	1,158,000
2002–03	2,356,000
2003–04	(projected) 3,186,000

It is not possible to provide the likely final outturn beyond this. However we have already committed £1,792,000 for 2004–05, but this figure may increase.These figures do not include funding for environmental research and development which the Office of Science and Technology provides through the Research Councils. NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) is the primary fund provider and has supplied the following figures for the funding of research and development.

	£ million
1998–99	160
1999–2000	159
2000–01	169
2001–02	166
2002–03	195
2003–04	(forecast) 287
2004–05	(forecast) 303

In addition DTI is also providing £10.65 million funding between 2001–2004 to WRAP, the Waste and Resources Action Programme, a not for profit company funded by Government. £8.45 million was allocated for open call research and development programmes between 2001–2003 and a further £1.66 million spent on other research and market studies during the same period. Future WRAP research and development expenditure has not yet been agreed.