The Department has provided funding to support the furniture sector as follows:
Support Amount of support (£) 1990-91 Regional Selective Assistance 1,823,000 1991-92 Regional Selective Assistance 1,266,000 1992-93 Regional Selective Assistance 1,088,000 1993-94 Regional Selective Assistance 3,676,000 1994-95 Regional Selective Assistance 1,940,000 1995-96 Regional Selective Assistance 4,404,000 1996-97 Regional Selective Assistance 1,660,000 1997-98 Regional Selective Assistance 1,579,000 TFSS—Exhibitions and Seminars 2,251,422 1998-99 TFSS—Exhibitions and Seminars 2,414,130 Regional Selective Assistance 2,174,000 1999-2000 SESA—Exhibitions, Seminars 715,077 Regional Selective Assistance 1,452,000 2000-01 SESA—Exhibitions, Seminars 799,127 Regional Selective Assistance 1,652,000 2001-02 SESA—Exhibitions, Seminars 768,206 Regional Selective Assistance 825,000 Competitiveness Study 6,935 2002-03 SESA—Exhibitions, Seminars 693,904 Regional Selective Assistance 870,000 Competitiveness Study 89,016 2003-04 SESA—Exhibitions, Seminars 812,775 UK First Industry Forum 131,346 Regional Selective Assistance 1,700,000 2004-05 SESA—Exhibitions, Seminars, Missions 907,773 UK First Industry Forum 327,347 Sector Partnership Funding 45,000 Regional Selective Assistance 470,000 Selective Finance for Industry, England 340,000 2005-06 SESA—Exhibitions, Seminars, Missions 666,501 UK First Industry Forum 501,727 Selective Finance for Industry, England 414,000 2006-07 TAP—Exhibitions only 211,746 UK First Industry Forum 133,725 Technology Programme 35,000 Notes: 1. Figures Trade and Seminar support not available before 1997 and for competitiveness before 2001. 2. Excludes business support funding from business links which are not available by sector. 3. Excludes RSA and SfIE support on soft furnishings or plastic furniture as the SIC code that covers them also covers a range of non furniture goods.
As part of the household goods, furnishings and furniture sector, the furniture industry has also benefited financially from Sectors Group within UK Trade and Investment as follows:
Amount (£) 2003-04 54,387 2004-05 198,851 2005-06 128,763 2006-07 30,000
A range of staff across the Department have worked to support the UK furniture industry, on issues such as productivity, exporting, standards, fair competition and research and development. It is not possible to isolate their work for the furniture sector from their other duties.
The information is as follows.
(a) In January 2005, my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (formerly Minister for Construction, Small Business and Enterprise) gave a short presentation on behalf of DTI/UKTI at the Birmingham furniture show. The audience included representatives from Advantage West Midlands, overseas buyers of furniture and representatives from the UK furniture industry.
(b) During the period 2003 to 2005, UK Trade and Investment officials met with representatives from a selection of RDAs. Specific meetings were held with Advantage West Midlands, East Midlands Development Agency and One North East. These meetings were to discuss how the then consumer goods team, within UKTI, could add value to the RDAs international agenda for consumer goods. The furniture industry was only one of the elements discussed. Officials from DTI also met Advantage West Midlands in 2004 to discuss the Birmingham furniture show and other issues.
A range of staff across the Department work on issues which affect the UK furniture industry. We support them appropriately within the resources available to us.
No such assessment has been made by the Department. The furniture industry is fully capable of assessing what the impact of any trend for smaller houses will be on the sector and how it should respond.