HL Deb 16 June 2003 vol 649 cc83-6WA
Lord Smith of Leigh

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which schemes that were identified in the review of spending on scientific projects in the north-west of England by the Byers committee have been implemented; and why others have not gone ahead. [HL3201]

Lord Sainsbury of Turville

The Byers review is the North West Science and Daresbury Development Group. Of the projects recommended in March 2001 by the NWSDDG:

  1. 1. The North West Science Council has been established, bringing advice from local business leaders to regional science projects. In November 2002, the council produced a regional science strategy for the North West—the first in UK.
  2. 2. The proposed public/private partnership to act as a bridge between the Daresbury laboratory and companies has been suspended by the creation of CLIK. This is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Central Laboratories for the Research Councils (CCLRC). CLIK will manage Daresbury's exploitation activities and is supported by a grant of £4 million. In April, the North West Development Agency announced £25.7 million of funding to develop Daresbury Science Park in partnership with CCLRC.
  3. 3. The proposed Centre for Accelerator Science and Imaging and Medicine (CASIM) led to two projects:

The SIRIUS proposal for a proton cyclotron was discussed with a number of potential funding agencies. In April 2002, the Research Council's UK Strategy Group reviewed the proposal. Although the nuclear physics element of the proposal was rated highly their advice was that the capital and operating cost of the facility could not be justified on the basis of nuclear science alone. A final decision was withheld until the outcome of the National Cancer Research Institute's review of the UK's requirement in radiobiology and radiotherapy was known. This review has concluded that although there is a case for the evaluation of protons, and light and heavy ions as a treatment option, it is not perceived as a priority by the majority of stakeholders. In view of these conclusions the prospective partners in the project (the Department of Health, the Medical Research Council and the Office of Science and Technology) have decided not to take the project forward. The project will thus receive no funding from the science budget.

On 2 April, we announced funding of £11.5 million for Daresbury for an exploratory phase for the other project, the 4th Generation Light Source (4GLS). These funds will be used in a three-year study to establish the technical know-how and build a prototype test facility.

On 12 March, we announced the go-ahead for a new £30 million flagship manufacturing centre for biosciences, which could bring 1,000 new jobs to Liverpool. The National Biomanufacturing Centre in Speke will consist of three laboratories and a production plant. A £9.74 million grant has been agreed from Merseyside's Objective 1 programme for the National Biomanufacturing Centre and £3 million has already been invested by DTI. The majority of the remaining funding will come from the NWDA. Up to 1,000 new jobs could be created by the facility, which will cement Merseyside's position as the national hub of biomanufacturing.