HC Deb 13 February 1995 vol 254 c661
31 Mr. Hoon

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement about international investment in United Kingdom science.

Mr. David Hunt

I greatly welcome such investment.

Mr. Hoon

Does the Chancellor agree with the recent House of Lords Select Committee report, "International Investment in United Kingdom Science", that British companies are driven too much by short-term financial concerns and concentrate insufficiently on long-term research? If he does agree with that report, what does he intend to do about it?

Mr. Hunt

There has been a considerable improvement in private sector funding for research and development. More remains to be done, and I shall do everything that I can to encourage such investment, particularly in partnership with the Government and the university sector.

Mr. Fabricant

Will my right hon. Friend acknowledge Unilever's huge investment programme in science in the United Kingdom? Will he wish its new venture, Uniruss, well and in particular, my old college friend Mr. Richard Sutton, a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry—this alludes to an earlier question—who will be heading a division of Uniruss in the former Soviet Union?

Mr. Hunt

I welcome any occasion on which I can applaud the work of Unilever, a company which started in the Wirral. I greatly welcome the progress that has been made. It is an example of how Britain is fighting to win at the leading edge of technology throughout the world.

Mr. Skinner

Will the right hon. Gentleman arrange for scientific research into the reason why an increasing number of rats are leaving the sinking ship? It has now reached the stage where Ministers are resigning without being pushed.

Mr. Hunt

I should be very happy to institute a programme of research into rats, because I recognise that the hon. Gentleman's depth of knowledge cannot be rivalled anywhere in the House.