§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals there are to increase funding for the Economic and Social Research Council. [188402]
§ Ms HewittThe Government's commitment to the continuing excellence of UK science was reinforced by the outcome of the 2004 Spending Review, in which it announced annual real growth in the public science base of 5.8 per cent., through the DTI and DfES, which will see it climb to over £5 billion by 2007. That is more than a billion pounds more than this year and nearly double the expenditure in 1997. Under existing plans, the Economic and Social Research Council is expected to receive an additional £15.8 million next year as a result of the previous Spending Review. Allocations to Research Councils and other bodies through the Science Budget, for 2006–07 onwards, will be announced early in 2005.