I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Science and Innovation at DTI on 21 June concerning overall Government spend on nanotechnology. Estimated Government support for nanotechnology work over the last 10 years amounts to around £408 million.
The Technology Strategy Board (an Executive NDPB of DIUS) invests to support nanotechnology companies through two initiatives:
(i) A portfolio of 26 Nanotechnology Collaborative R and D projects is being supported, which brings together business and academia to undertake joint research that has a future commercial use. Funding of £14 million since 2004 (against £32 million total project costs) has been provided to consortia involving business and academia, with business providing just over half of the funding; and
(ii) The network of 24 UK-based Nanotechnology Centres, with a total budget of £54 million over five years, provides open access facilities to enable companies (particularly SMEs) to use expensive pieces of equipment to test new ideas and prototypes.
Additionally, EPSRC currently funds 167 research grants classified as having a significant nanotechnology component that have a formal collaboration with UK industry. These grants have a total value of £86 million.