HC Deb 28 March 1994 vol 240 c628
28. Mr. Flynn

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what new proposals he has to increase investment by Government and industry in British science.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. William Waldegrave)

The Government's plans were set out in the White Paper "Realising our Potential".

Mr. Flynn

How will investment in science be aided by the Government's frantic review of 53 science institutions in 90 days? Does the Minister agree with Michael Atiyah, the president of the Royal Society, who said that scientific considerations had been totally disregarded in the panic to privatise and that there was no chance of any sensible outcome of the review? Will the Government's neglect of science mean that British workers become the coolies of the Atlantic rim countries?

Mr. Waldegrave

The president of the Royal Society did not quite say that. The scrutiny study of the ownership and future of Government research establishments is, like any other scrutiny study, rightly ensuring that we get the best value for money. That must be vital for science, as for anything else.

Mrs. Gillan

Will my right hon. Friend accept the congratulations of the House on the Government's investment in British science week last week, which was so successful, and on retaining the size of the science budget? Is not the commitment being shown by the Government the very commitment to British science that we require?

Mr. Waldegrave

My hon. Friend is right. As The Daily Telegraph said today, the £150,000 spent on science week was well invested. On my hon. Friend's second point, Save British Science, a pressure group, agrees that I have kept my promise to protect the science budget last year and next year. We intend to ensure that there is proper investment in the science base.