Briefing Paper 15 June 2007
Invest Northern Ireland
Vincent Gribbin
Research Officer
Research and Library Services
Library Research Papers are compiled for the benefit of Members of The Assembly and their personal staff. Authors are available to discuss the contents of these papers with Members and their staff and can be contacted through 9052 1227 but cannot advise members of the general public.
Introduction
This paper gives a brief description of some of the issues which impact on the work of Invest Northern Ireland. To date there has been no objective evaluation carried out of the work of the agency although the Committee on the Preparation of Government has recommended one. In the absence of such an evaluation this paper summarises some of the information available on the agency.
The paper is in three parts. The first part is some brief background information on Invest Northern Ireland. The second part highlights some of the performance information available on the agency and the third part summarises some of the major challenges facing it.
1.0 BACKGROUND
Invest Northern Ireland (INI) was established as a single agency for economic development in 2002 at arms length from government. The intention was for the new agency to have greater flexibility and credibility and be more responsive to its clients’ needs.
Invest NI’s first Corporate Plan states that:
“The key change in delivery of Invest NI’s services will be the adoption of a matrix approach in which innovation and capability-building services will be closely woven throughout the organisation.”
The Corporate Plan also referred to “the major challenges INI faces in realising the benefits of organisational synergy”.
Committee may wish to establish whether the flexibility/credibility referred to has been achieved and whether Invest NI is more responsive to client needs.
Has a ‘matrix approach’ in which ‘innovation and capability-building services’ were to be embedded in the organisation been adopted and if so has it been a success?
How can Invest NI assure the Committee that it has achieved its objectives in this regard?
1.1 Invest NI Aims and Objectives
Invest Northern Ireland’s role is to promote innovation, enterprise and competitiveness in Northern Ireland businesses, encourage new business start-ups and market Northern Ireland as a location for inward investment and skills development. Invest NI also provides access to advice, expertise and information, assists companies to enter or diversify in export markets and helps to meet business property needs.
Invest Northern Ireland’s objectives are;
- to promote innovation in all its aspects, stimulate higher levels of R&D and design and improve knowledge transfer;
- to achieve higher levels of growth by indigenous and externally-owned businesses;
- to promote a more enterprising culture so as to raise the overall level and quality of business starts; and
- to attract high-quality, knowledge-based investment from outside Northern Ireland.
The Committee on the Preparation for Government’s sub-group on the economy heard evidence from the Industrial Task Force that innovation is a strategic issue and one that would benefit from a review being conducted of Invest NI 1.
Committee may wish to consider how Invest Northern Ireland is promoting innovation in particular. For example, Committee may wish to ask Invest NI to specifically address some key indicators of innovative activity:
-
Promoting business R&D from 2002 to the present
-
Establishing networking initiatives
-
Increasing support for technology transfer
-
Promoting cluster development 2
-
Assessing the potential for improving patent applications, currently lowest in UK 3
2.0 Performance of Invest NI
To date there has not been an evaluation conducted of how well Invest NI has carried out its functions. The Preparation for Government sub-group on economy made a recommendation that:
“role, structure and functions of Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) be reviewed to determine if it is delivering effectively on its core objectives and is fit for purpose.” 4
An indication of Invest NI’s progress to date can be taken, firstly from its Performance Information Framework, developed using information from the organisation’s first three years of operation, i.e. 2002 –2005. Secondly, from the organisation’s most recently published Annual Report and Accounts (2005-2006). Some of the key information contained in these reports is set out blow.
2.1 Performance Information Framework 5
Invest NI produced a Performance Information Framework covering the period 2002–2005, providing information on its activities, the performance of its clients and measures of its economic impact.
The main figures highlighted in the report include :
- Invest NI offered assistance of just over £400 million towards projects which plan to invest over £1.5 billion within the Northern Ireland economy;
- Over 8,800 offers were made to help individuals start a business resulting in the creation and survival of 5,500 indigenous new businesses;
- The value of exports generated by Invest NI client companies increased, in real terms, by 12.5 per cent, to £4.2 billion;
- Almost 70 per cent of Invest NI’s small and medium sized (SME) clients introduced some degree of product or process innovation. This compares to 39 per cent of other Northern Ireland businesses, and 62 per cent for a comparative Great Britain sample of SMEs;
The Committee may wish to determine what measures of innovation are used in the calculation of this figure. Are these measures universal i.e. are these figures comparable with other regions.
- Of the 38 new inward investments secured during 2002–2005, 28 were located in New Targeting Social Need (NTSN) areas representing 30 per cent of the Northern Ireland population.
The Committee may wish to ask Invest NI to comment on the figure contained in the 2002 DETI Programme for Government target i.e. “ Aim to attract 75% of all first time inward investment projects to New TSN areas.” 6
Criticism of Performance Information Framework
The production of the Performance Information Framework received a mixed reception.
- With a spend of over £400m in its first three years, over the same period 4,700 jobs have been lost from its client companies.
This “haemorrhaging” of jobs was considered by Trade Union leaders to be very worrying 7. There are a number of economic indicators against which the information in the report might allow Invest NI to be measured 8.
- The number of businesses registering for VAT - this has risen from 73% in 2002 to 83% in 2004. However this still leaves Northern Ireland 10 th out of the 13 UK regions 9.
- Gross Value Added (GVA), the indicator of wealth creation - grew more quickly in Northern Ireland since 1989 than the rest of the UK. However this has slowed over recent years and remains around 20% lower than the UK average 10.
- The amount of money spent by companies on R&D - spending on R&D by Invest NI client companies falling by 17% in the three years covered in the Performance Indicator Report 11.
An additional indicator that relates to R&D is that of patent applications and the fact that Northern Ireland has both the lowest number of patent applications and the largest differential between patent applications and patent awards of the UK regions 12.
The Committee may wish to ask Invest NI to address this key issue of R&D activity.
The Economic Research Institute of Northern Ireland (Professor Harris) submitted a comprehensive paper 13 to the Committee on the Preparation for Government’s sub-group on the economy assessing the case for higher tax credits.
“The fundamental problem for firms in Northern Ireland is not a resource gap but a capabilities gap. Hence we identify the need to increase the level of internationalisation of firms, increase absorptive capacity, and to ensure that firms that undertake R&D spend a significant amount on in-house R&D rather than ‘buying-in’ R&D. That is, the lack of a ‘culture’ of undertaking R&D has to be tackled”
The Committee may wish to ask Invest NI to comment on Professor Harris’s paper in general and this point in particular. Can significant ‘in-house’ R&D spend be achieved in a small business economy such as Northern Ireland.
A set of core output indicators have been developed by the Regional Development Agencies in England (appended) that are reported on a mid-year and end of year basis to parliament 14. This provides comparisons across the regional agencies. Although Invest NI has its own targets they do not seem to allow for comparison.
The Committee may wish to ask Invest NI if they could make comparable output figures for Northern Ireland available.
2.2 Annual Report 2005-2006
In their 2005-2006 Annual Report, Invest NI reported a year of “positive results” 15 . A number of the main findings from the Annual Report are detailed below.
- The Northern Ireland economy will benefit from over £616 million of investment commitments which will generate over £200 million a year in new salaries and wages.
- Over 320 existing locally-owned companies are pledged to invest over £124 million to expand and develop.
- Externally-owned companies have committed to 31 new projects, promoting or safeguarding almost 6,400 jobs and generating approximately £130 million annually in salaries;
- Invest NI helped create more than nine new businesses every day.
- The regional office network supported 110 existing and 44 new projects, helping client companies to achieve new external sales valued at over £55 million.
- 57 businesses had projects supported for the first time.
- £210 million worth of orders were won by businesses through Invest NI’s public-procurement service and £15 million in higher profits reported by companies involved in INI’s Business Improvement Agent programme.
- Over 500 companies were supported last year through INI’s Passport to Export programme and participating companies have so far reported new business valued at £189 million.
- Overseas-owned companies which invest here have reinvested more often than in any other region in the British Isles, including the Republic of Ireland.
Invest NI, has received praise for its performance:
“Invest NI deserves credit for a record year” and Invest NI “is successfully marketing the attractions of Northern Ireland in a highly competitive international investment market” 16.
3.0 The Northern Ireland Economy
The outlook for the Northern Ireland economy is unclear; while there is optimism from an improved performance of Invest NI, a number of obstacles remain which cause concern to those in Invest NI charged with developing further growth. In evidence to the Committee on the Preparation for Government the committee was cautioned against “a growing negative trend in labour productivity” 17.
The Committee may wish to ask Invest NI to give reasons for the enhanced performance referred to and elaborate on the comments to the Preparation for Government sub-group regarding the negative trend in labour productivity?
The main problems facing Invest NI in promoting Northern Ireland on the world economic stage seems to be “Tax and Talent” 18; the differential rate in corporation tax that exists between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and the skills shortage.
The Committee may wish ask Invest NI if they agree with this assessment.
Below is a short discussion highlighting some of the main issues in respect of the ‘Tax and Talent’ theory.
3.1 Skills Shortage
Northern Ireland is no longer a low wage economy and this fact prevents Invest NI from attracting the types of inward investment that now routinely goes to “developing” economies. This means that Northern Ireland increasingly needs to promote itself on the skills base that it can offer to employers. However there a number of difficulties that present themselves.
Firstly, there is a trend in Northern Ireland for students to go to university in England, Scotland and Wales and to remain there afterwards. As described in the Belfast Telegraph “Of primary concern at Invest NI is the depletion of Northern Ireland’s talent pool, partly as a result of the brain drain which sees a third of A-level students leaving the province, 75% of them never to return” 19 . In addition, due to the lack of manufacturing in Northern Ireland there is a trend for graduates from the two Northern Ireland universities to seek employment outside of Northern Ireland. Invest NI believe that this presents a significant challenge 20. Additional to this, although there is high relative percentage of undergraduates in Northern Ireland, not enough graduates have the desired qualifications.
“To put it bluntly, too many media studies graduates and not enough electronic engineers” 21 .
For example in 2007 Queen’s University has only filled 36 of its 100 places in electrical engineering 22. A recent report by QUB and UU has considered the problem of the lack of Postgraduate students in the sciences.
“A knowledge-based economy relies on the quality of its talent pool. The risk of declining enrolments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and students required to pay £3,000 per year means that many students think twice about studying at postgraduate level in economically relevant areas.
The problem is created by the loss of European Social Fund (ESF) studentships (50 per year) and a lack of parity to access to studentships and specific Research Council-supported studentship initiatives in the rest of the UK. The total number of postgraduate studentships needs to increase and incentives for students in STEM subjects to progress to post-graduate study need to be introduced.145 additional postgraduate studentships need to be created annually.
Also a new form of studentship that would refund the fees charged at undergraduate level for each year spent at postgraduate (PhD) study, making a postgraduate degree in a STEM subject cost neutral and should attract home students who left Northern Ireland for undergraduate study.” 23
In addition to the availability of more sellable skills at graduate level, at the other end of the spectrum, Northern Ireland also has high levels of school levels with poor literacy and numeracy. Department of Education and Skills statistics show that Northern Ireland has a much higher proportion of people of working age with no qualifications than the other UK regions. In Northern Ireland 24.2% of the population of working age have no qualifications, compared to the second worst area, Wales with a percentage of 17.2 and the best area, the South East at 10.5% 24.
The Chief Executive of Invest NI has stated that;
“The only way to prevent that [i.e. mobility of private sector] is to make Northern Ireland a very good place to do business, by virtue of cost structure, but more so by virtue of the supply of people. Our greatest asset is a good supply of educated people. Is it a good enough supply? No, it is not. Do we have enough people who are sufficiently skilled and educated? No, we do not” 25 .
3.2 Corporation Tax
Invest NI believe that “a lower rate of corporation tax would enhance Northern Ireland’s position” and “would make Northern Ireland even more attractive to overseas companies.” 26
The Committee may wish to ask Invest NI to attempt to quantify the impact of corporation tax on their efforts to compete with the Republic of Ireland.
The main argument to reduce the corporation tax in Northern Ireland is based on the regions difficulty in competing alongside the Republic of Ireland. The counter argument made by the treasury for not decreasing tax are that it would be unfair to the other regions of the UK.
Taking the Republic of Ireland example the Economic Research Institute for Northern Ireland (ERINI) has extrapolated how Northern Ireland would benefit if its corporation tax were reduced to RoI levels.
“Based on the assumptions built into the model, halving corporation tax would set in train changes in the economy through new investment and increased activity that would reach the ‘break even’ point in tax terms in 2013, after incurring an initial cost of £310m in the first year. Beyond 2013 there would be a net gain to both NI and the UK public finances.” 27
Invest NI have expressed the view that:
“The secret of marketing is differentiation. If you say: ‘Come to Ireland. It does not matter which part of it you come to’, we will lose every time because there is a 12·5% tax rate south of the border.” 28
This leaves Invest NI the task of differentiating Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland through incentives such as tax credits and grants and through effectively selling Northern Ireland as a highly skilled economy. Invest NI have outlined some of Northern Ireland’s unique selling points:
“a young, well educated and adaptable workforce; a high quality research base in the universities; a telecommunications infrastructure that offers 100% broadband access; our near-shore locations for North America and Europe and our world time-zone centrality; our excellent system of commercial law and protection of intellectual property; and an environment that is supportive of, and responsive to, the needs of business” 29.
The Committee may wish to ask Invest NI to comment further on the challenges they face in competing for ‘technology-sourcing’ Foreign Direct Investment (i.e. firms seeking access to resources that are only available in the overseas locations targeted).
The Committee may wish to ask Invest NI to elucidate not just the competitive advantage over the Republic of Ireland but also their ability to compete with other regions of the UK.
Invest NI has been criticised for not properly promoting itself to small indigenous businesses. The Federation for Small Businesses (FSB) has accused INI of poor communication claiming that there is much confusion in small business as to what INI does. The Federation does welcome the “Go For It” campaign but “need to find out how many of those businesses that signed up for the “Go For It” campaign are still there in years two, three and four” 30.
The Committee may wish to ask Invest NI to comment on criticisms from the FSB that Invest NI are poor communicators and that there is confusion in small business as to what Invest NI does.
Appendix A:
Regional Development Agencies' reported mid year outputs for 2006/07
The following tables show the progress made by the Regional Development Agencies in delivering against the Core Output targets set in RDA Corporate Plans for 2005-08. The RDA Tasking Framework, introduced in April 2005, comprises a set of six core outputs with four mandatory components and each RDA has set target ranges against these outputs in their Corporate Plans. The tables show the outputs reported for the six months from April to September 2006, on a gross attributable basis.
Experience shows that outputs of this type are not delivered equally across the year.
Some of the RDAs revised some of their output targets for 2006/07. An asterisk against the name of the RDA shows where the output has been revised from the target range set in the Corporate Plan for 2005/08.
A technical note defining the RDA core output and mandatory components identified in the RDA Tasking Framework 2005 is available at OffPAT (Office of Project Advice & Training)
1 Employment Creation: Number of jobs created or safeguarded (including outputs relating to the National Coalfields Programme which are shared with English Partnerships).
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range |
Achieved April – September 2006 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
8,713 |
11,788 |
8,730 |
East of England Development Agency |
3,485 |
4,715 |
974 |
East Midlands Development Agency * |
7,391 |
9,775 |
5,351 |
London Development Agency * |
12,500 |
17,500 |
3,256 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency * |
12,750 |
17,250 |
7,225 |
ONE NorthEast |
12,100 |
16,300 |
7,277 |
South East England Development Agency |
3,995 |
5,405 |
2,041 |
South West of England Regional Development Agency * |
5,128 |
7,692 |
1,289 |
Yorkshire Forward |
18,754 |
25,373 |
7,000 |
OVERALL TOTAL |
84,816 |
115,798 |
43,143 |
2 Employment Support: Number of people assisted to get a job
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range |
Achieved April – September 2006 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
1,538 |
3,588 |
1,581 |
East of England Development Agency * |
1,500 |
2,500 |
58 |
East Midlands Development Agency * |
3,375 |
5,625 |
1,586 |
London Development Agency * |
11,000 |
14,000 |
6,782 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency * |
1,500 |
2,500 |
1,191 |
ONE NorthEast |
1,960 |
3,260 |
5,276 |
South East England Development Agency * |
4,325 |
5,675 |
4,240 |
South West of England Regional Development Agency |
1,130 |
1,740 |
793 |
Yorkshire Forward * |
2,850 |
4,750 |
1,960 |
OVERALL TOTAL |
29,178 |
43,638 |
23,467 |
3 Business Creation: Number of new businesses created and demonstrating growth after 12 months and & businesses attracted to the region (figures reported are the businesses created that survived for one year. The RDAs will review the figures reported to identify those businesses that have demonstrated growth through an increase in employment between 12 and 24 months from start of trading).
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range |
Achieved April – September 2006 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
1,232 |
1,848 |
835 |
East of England Development Agency * |
2,240 |
3,360 |
575 |
East Midlands Development Agency |
1,661 |
2,492 |
1,196 |
London Development Agency * |
1,200 |
1,500 |
1,149 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency |
1,720 |
2,580 |
1,208 |
ONE NorthEast |
2,370 |
3,930 |
867 |
South East England Development Agency |
1,632 |
2,448 |
1,382 |
South West of England Regional Development Agency * |
168 |
252 |
93 |
Yorkshire Forward |
714 |
1,072 |
568 |
OVERALL TOTAL |
12,937 |
19,482 |
7,873 |
4 Business Support: Number of businesses assisted to improve their performance
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range |
Achieved April – September 2006 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
6,000 |
9,000 |
5,679 |
East of England Development Agency * |
6,400 |
9,600 |
3,471 |
East Midlands Development Agency |
6,666 |
9,600 |
9,867 |
London Development Agency * |
25,000 |
30,000 |
16,643 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency |
16,800 |
25,200 |
8,629 |
ONE NorthEast |
6,150 |
10,250 |
8,076 |
South East England Development Agency |
21,120 |
31,680 |
20,854 |
South West of England Regional Development Agency |
4,950 |
7,400 |
6,693 |
Yorkshire Forward |
2,720 |
4,080 |
1,847 |
OVERALL TOTAL |
95,806 |
136,810 |
81,759 |
4a Number of businesses within the region assisted to engage in new collaborations with the UK knowledge base
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range |
Achieved April – September 2006 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
769 |
1,794 |
388 |
East of England Development Agency |
154 |
256 |
18 |
East Midlands Development Agency |
254 |
424 |
299 |
London Development Agency |
275 |
300 |
237 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency |
750 |
1,250 |
704 |
ONE NorthEast |
530 |
870 |
719 |
South East England Development Agency |
368 |
613 |
344 |
South West of England Regional Development Agency |
245 |
370 |
333 |
Yorkshire Forward |
216 |
359 |
49 |
OVERALL TOTAL |
3,561 |
6,236 |
3,091 |
5 Regeneration: a) Public and private regeneration infrastructure investment levered
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range : |
Achieved in April – September 2006 £ million / (% private) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum £ million/ (% private) |
Maximum £ million / (% private) |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
116/(38) |
271/(88) |
22/(90) |
East of England Development Agency * |
53/(33) |
88/(55) |
6/(19) |
East Midlands Development Agency |
64.2/(58) |
107.0/(82) |
47/(98) |
London Development Agency * |
300 |
350 |
24 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency * |
320/(38) |
540/(62) |
25/(41) |
ONE NorthEast |
180/(55) |
290/(85) |
68/(34) |
South East England Development Agency |
165/(38) |
275/(63) |
69.5/(59) |
South West of England Regional Development Agency |
125/(49) |
185/(74) |
143.1/(66) |
Yorkshire Forward |
154/(23) |
256/(39) |
11.3/(1) |
OVERALL TOTAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT (£ million) |
1,477.2 |
2362 |
113 |
b) Hectares of brownfield land reclaimed and/or redeveloped
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range |
Achieved April – September 2006 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
41 |
96 |
50.00 |
East of England Development Agency |
29 |
49 |
0.00 |
East Midlands Development Agency |
100 |
167 |
22.00 |
London Development Agency * |
50 |
55 |
8.90 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency * |
245 |
335 |
11.00 |
ONE NorthEast |
50 |
85 |
21.00 |
South East England Development Agency |
75 |
125 |
18.58 |
South West of England Regional Development Agency |
85 |
125 |
5.00 |
Yorkshire Forward * |
36 |
108 |
6.00 |
OVERALL TOTAL |
711 |
1,145 |
142 |
This table shows the RDA contribution to a national target on brownfield land remediation. As set out in the Sustainable Communities Plan 2003, the Government will, through the RDAs and English Partnerships, remediate brownfield land at a rate of over 1,400 hectares per annum for economic, commercial, residential and leisure use. The RDAs were expected to contribute at least 1,100 hectares per annum to this total (but marginally undershot this year), and English Partnerships at least 300 hectares per annum. The figures include outputs relating to the National Coalfields Programme which are shared with English Partnerships.
6 Skills: Number of people assisted in their skills development as a result of RDA programmes (this target includes all results in Tables 6a and 6b)
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range |
Achieved April – September 2006 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
16,400 |
24,600 |
16,113 |
East of England Development Agency |
12,300 |
18,450 |
7,560 |
East Midlands Development Agency |
8,200 |
12,300 |
3,387 |
London Development Agency |
28,000 |
32,000 |
12,371 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency |
14,000 |
21,000 |
11,446 |
ONE NorthEast |
48,800 |
73,200 |
30,240 |
South East England Development Agency |
15,920 |
23,880 |
20,471 |
South West of England Regional Development Agency |
8,600 |
12,900 |
7,777 |
Yorkshire Forward |
42,866 |
64,298 |
27,408 |
OVERALL TOTAL |
195,086 |
282,628 |
136,773 |
6a Number of adults gaining basic skills as part of the Skills for Life Strategy that count towards the Skills PSA Target
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range |
Achieved April – September 2006 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
413 |
963 |
12 |
East of England Development Agency |
431 |
719 |
325 |
East Midlands Development Agency |
329 |
548 |
37 |
London Development Agency |
3,640 |
3,640 |
1,526 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency |
1,550 |
2,550 |
634 |
ONE NorthEast |
970 |
1,610 |
0 |
South East England Development Agency |
1,200 |
2,000 |
1,340 |
South West of England Regional Development Agency |
820 |
1,230 |
160 |
Yorkshire Forward |
1,125 |
1,875 |
627 |
OVERALL TOTAL |
10,478 |
15,135 |
4,661 |
6b Number of adults in the workforce who lack a full Level 2 or equivalent qualification who are supported in achieving at least a full Level 2 qualification or equivalent
Regional Development Agency |
Annual Target Range |
Achieved April – September 2006 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Minimum |
Maximum |
||
Advantage West Midlands |
300 |
700 |
12 |
East of England Development Agency |
345 |
575 |
287 |
East Midlands Development Agency |
657 |
1,095 |
87 |
London Development Agency |
2,970 |
2,970 |
633 |
Northwest Regional Development Agency |
930 |
1,530 |
93 |
ONE NorthEast |
240 |
380 |
0 |
South East England Development Agency |
1,838 |
3,063 |
136 |
South West of England Regional Development Agency |
380 |
640 |
555 |
Yorkshire Forward |
225 |
375 |
104 |
OVERALL TOTAL |
7,885 |
11,328 |
1,907 |
Glossary of Terms
TERM |
DEFINITION |
|---|---|
Corporate Plan |
RDA plans which set out how resources will be used to achieve the objectives set out in the Regional Economic Strategy. |
Gross |
All outputs directly attributable to projects or programmes. |
Gross Attributable |
Gross outputs that are directly attributable to RDA input i.e. the RDA share of the outputs. |
1 Para 433,Second Report on the Economic Challenges Facing Northern Ireland, Committee on the Preparation for Government, Northern Ireland Assembly, Sept 2006.
2 The UK Government Competitiveness White Paper 1998, identified Cluster Development as a key element in promoting regional economic prosperity and, at a national level, the Government’s clusters policy aims to create conditions that encourage the formation and growth of clusters (Department of Trade and Industry, ‘Manufacturing Strategy, The Government’s response to the third report of the House of Commons Trade and Industry Select Committee: Session 2001-02’. June 2002).
3 Strong patent activity usually reflects significant applied research and development activities and is crucial to breakthrough product development and process improvements.
4 P4, First Report on the Economic Challenges Facing Northern Ireland, Committee on the Preparation for Government, Northern Ireland Assembly, Sept 2006.
5 Performance Report 2002/03-2004/05, Invest Northern Ireland, 2006.
6 DETI Programme for Government ref 5.3.2 (page 44) , DETI, 2002.
7 The Belfast Telegraph , 26 Sept. 2006, Peter Bunting, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, quoted in Invest NI defends its record over jobs, Nigel Tilson.
8 Irish News, 26 Sept. 2006, Invest NI ‘can’t know whether productivity will continue to fall’, Jamie Delargy.
9 Ibid.
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid.
12 Facts and Figures 2004-2005, The Patent Office, DTI, Jan. 2005.
13 Professor Harris – Assessing the case for a higher R&D tax credits and ERINI Statement (http://eirni.ac.uk/dsp_publications.cfm/publication_key/2133/)
14 http://www.dti.gov.uk/regional/regional-dev-agencies/rda-performance/page37342.html
15 Invest Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts 2005-2006, House of Commons, Nov. 2006.
16 The Belfast Telegraph, 27 April 2007, Get the tools to do the job in Ulster, Lead Article.
17 P13, First report on the Economic Challenges Facing Northern Ireland Vol 1, 4 Sept 2006, Northern Ireland Assembly.
18 Prof J. McCanny in First report on the Economic Challenges Facing Northern Ireland, 4 Sept 2006, Northern Ireland Assembly.
19
The Belfast Telegraph, 27 April 2007, Get the tools to do the job in Ulster, Lead Article.
20 Ibid.
21 BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6382849.stm, 3 May 2007.
22 The Belfast Telegraph, 27 April 2007, Get the tools to do the job in Ulster, Lead Article.
23 Northern Ireland ’s Universities: Key Drivers of Wealth Creation and Future Economic Development , QUB & UU , May 2007.
24 Department of Education and Skills, Labour Force Survey, Spring 2005, www.statistics.gov.uk.
25 para 1200. First Report on the Economic Challenges facing Northern Ireland vol. 2, 4 Sept. 2006, Northern Ireland Assembly.
26 The Belfast Telegraph, 26 April 2007, Invest NI backs cut in corporation tax, Robin Morton.
27 Assessing the case for a Differential rate of Corporation Tax in Northern Ireland, ERINI, Nov 2006.
28 Para1204. First Report on the Economic Challenges facing Northern Ireland, Committee on the Preparation for Government Vol. 2, Sept. 2006.
29 Para 32. First Report on the Economic Challenges facing Northern Ireland, Committee on the Preparation for Government Vol. 2, Sept 2006.
30 Para 564. First Report on the Economic Challenges facing Northern Ireland, Committee on the Preparation for Government Vol. 2, Sept 2006.