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Trade & Industry Secretary Alistair Darling challenged business to use design to increase UK competitiveness against the rise of low-wage, rapidly expanding developing economies.Research by the Design Council is reported to show that, over a ten-year period (1994)(1995)(1996)(1997)(1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004), UK quoted companies identified as effective users of design out-performed the FTSE 100 by more than 200%.But too many UK companies are found to spend nothing on design -which shows that design-led planning is not part of mainstream business thinking.Alistair Darling said: "Design is often key to transforming our world-class science into the products and services that the world wants to buy.With increasing global competition, creativity can determine success, particularly in the manufacturing industry which faces the fiercest competition from low-wage economies.Design is good for the bottom line but with only a fraction of UK businesses investing in design, they are missing a huge opportunity.Through Designing Demand and the extension of R&D tax credits, Government is putting in place help for business to use design to innovate.Business needs to see design investment as being as crucial to their success as R&D and skills."Designing Demand is the design support programme for UK business, helping companies to become more competitive, increase profits and boost performance through access to strategic and effective use of design.Targeted at SMEs, the programme supports the use of design as a key driver of business growth.Developed, tested and piloted by the Design Council, a full national programme of delivery is supported by RDAs.According to the Design Council, 69% of UK companies spend nothing on design.Design Council research is understood to demonstrate a link between design expenditure and economic performance -that for every £100 a design-alert business spends on design, turnover is increased by £225Alistair Darling has asked the Design Council to work with partners and leading experts in business, academia and design to report to him on the take-up of design by UK industry.The Design Council will consult widely and report to the Secretary of State for Trade & Industry by February 2007

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