Veterinary Scientists and Technicians

HC Deb 01 May 1996 vol 276 cc1131-3

3. Mr. Eric Clarke

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many veterinary scientists and technicians were made redundant in the past year, 1995–96, in Scotland; and how many of these redundancies were followed by withdrawal of Government grants. [26051]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Raymond S. Robertson)

The information that the hon. Gentleman has requested is not held centrally.

Mr. Clarke

I am surprised at the Minister's answer, as I have been co-operating with him to try to get the answers I want. As a result of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy situation, a number of scientists—including my constituents Dr. Melrose and Mrs. Margaret Clark, who are scientific technicians—have been made redundant due to Government cuts. I believe that they should be employed. The area that I come from is renowned for scientific excellence and veterinary research. A review of 35 of these institutions throughout the United Kingdom is currently under way. The confidence of the people involved is low because the Government have withdrawn their grants.

Mr. Robertson

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for giving me notice of his question with regard to his constituents. That is an indication of how seriously he takes this issue. The Overseas Development Administration has a contract with the university of Edinburgh for the provision of certain research services. However, it is up to the university to decide how it delivers the service and the number of research staff it needs to do so. The number of staff will vary according to the nature of the research at any particular time.

I emphasise that the ODA—and therefore the Government—is not the employer. That is a matter for the university. Individual contract staff who have a grievance about their employment should pursue the issue with the university, which may then decide to take the matter up with the ODA. If the hon. Gentleman has any further information that he would like me to pass on to the ODA, I shall be delighted to do so.

Mr. Gallie

Does my hon. Friend agree that the use of veterinary and other scientists in the United Kingdom goes beyond that of other countries in relation to food hygiene and ensuring the safety of the public in general? On that basis, does he not despair that the sound advice given by scientists in our country that British beef is safe is ignored by scientists elsewhere, who do not carry out tasks at similar levels with the same degree of responsibility in their own countries?

Mr. Robertson

My hon. Friend raises a valuable point. This year, the Government are spending more than £9 million on research into bovine spongiform encephalopathy and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and the amount will be increased to £10 million next year. As my hon. Friend said, all the scientific advice available from the world's experts is to the effect that British beef is safe. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has so eloquently said, the ban should be lifted.

Dr. Bray

Is the Minister aware that the closure of research institutes and the dismissal of research teams goes far wider than that? The prior options study is cutting a swathe through Government research establishments and greatly weakening the efforts in Scotland. Is he further aware that the progress of scientific research, which underlies the ability to tackle diseases such as BSE and CJD, depends critically on the underlying basic research, which has been savaged by the Government?

Mr. Robertson

The hon. Gentleman does himself no credit with his wilful scaremongering. The prior options review of the research establishments is no threat to the marvellous work done in the United Kingdom. The Government are fully committed to supporting the excellence of the UK science base, and we are spending more than £6 billion per annum on science and technology.

However, the research establishments cannot be immune from regular review and appraisal, and there is a need to ensure that research is being conducted in the most effective manner, providing the best value for money. With his background, the hon. Gentleman should be praising what is going on in this country, not seeking to run it down and trying to score cheap party political points.