HC Deb 25 May 1999 vol 332 cc146-7
2. Dr. Ian Gibson (Norwich, North)

What plans he has to distribute and control funds for scientific research within Scotland. [84127]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Calum Macdonald)

The Scottish Office controls a block of research-related spending of around £250 million in total. This underpins the science base in Scotland and covers the full range of the responsibilities of the Scottish Office. The Scottish Parliament will assume devolved responsibility for all these matters on 1 July.

At the same time, the UK research councils also fund research projects in Scotland. Research council funding is a reserved matter.

Dr. Gibson

Will my hon. Friend join me in congratulating medical scientists at the university of Dundee, who are developing radical cancer therapies and have launched a £4 million appeal? Does he agree that with talent like that, they can well compete for research grants on the international scene as well as for those from UK research councils and their charities? There is no need for breakaway funding councils; they can compete across the world.

Mr. Macdonald

I agree completely with my hon. Friend. Some Scottish Office research funding for the health service in Scotland, for example, goes to successful bidders throughout the United Kingdom. It is important to maintain those connections.

Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York)

Will the Minister assure us that funding will continue for the research centre in Edinburgh that was responsible for much of the research that linked bovine spongiform encephalopathy to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease? Who will be responsible for funding that centre? Will it be funded nationally or from Scotland?

Mr. Macdonald

I am not sure whether that research institute is funded through the Scottish Office or through UK funding. If the funding comes from the Scottish Office, it will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament. If it is UK research council funding, it will continue as at present.

Mr. Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale)

Will my hon. Friend outline the steps that the Government are taking to allay public concerns about genetically modified crops?

Mr. Macdonald

Some £2 million of Scottish Office research funding goes into GM-related research. That research is important to gain the necessary knowledge to assess the future of GM crops and foods.

Mr. Malcolm Bruce (Gordon)

On behalf of the Liberal Democrats, I welcome the whole of the renewed Scottish Office team to the Front Bench. I appreciate the constructive way in which they seem to be engaging in the new politics. [Interruption.] That constructive spirit is being well supported on the ground by people who understand the need for stability and continuity.

Will the Minister ensure, in his role as a UK Minister, that the excellent research facilities in Scotland—particularly in the north-east of Scotland, at organisations such as the Rowett institute, the Macaulay institute and universities—secure continued funding through the Scottish Parliament? Will he also support our excellent universities as they seek the UK and international funding for which they have earned a reputation throughout the world?

Mr. Macdonald

First, I have always been a UK Minister, because the Scottish Office has always been part of the UK Government. The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. Scottish research institutes should be able to continue to bid for funding from around the United Kingdom.