Mr. Mark Christal:

We are hugely guided and informed by Government policy. That is across the food sector, as it is in all other sectors. If one takes Food Vision 2030, it has a huge bearing and impact on where our support goes and how we invest. Policy does not determine the individual supports we provide to companies. It is the basis of the value-for-money measures we apply to all our investments, which are the criteria that determine how much grant aid we support and what kind of support we apply. That is based on the employment potential of a particular company, the export potential and the sustainability impact, which is also a hugely important criterion. Policy may set a direction for the guidelines but it does not determine the companies we invest in. That is determined by a company coming to us, setting out its business case, the business plan for what it is trying to achieve, the potential of the market it is trying to tap into and the stage of the journey the company is on, in respect of whether it is a start-up company, and whether it needs capital support, support around research and development or support for its technology deployment. It is about trying to apply our supports as best we can. The market and potential growth of the company inform and influence the companies we support.