Halley's Comet (Hansard, 28 March 1985)

§ Lord Gainford
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, British scientists are actively involved in preparing to observe Halley's Comet at close quarters, using both space and ground-based facilities. In the case of the former, the United Kingdom's involvement will be predominantly through the European Space Agency's Giotto Mission. The main source of funds for these activities is the Science and Engineering Research Council, whose grant-in-aid is provided by the Department of Education and Science.

§ Lord Gainford
My Lords, I am obliged to my noble friend the Minister for that Answer. Can he give any assurance of the international co-operation of countries who have information to give on this subject? Also, can he say how much information the British layman will get as to where, how and when to observe this phenomenon, which is well known for its appearance over 60 years? After all, it is because of the work done by a British astronomer that people now know about it.

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, scientists from Europe, the United States of America, Japan and the USSR are planning to launch, or have already launched, satellites quite close by Halley's Comet. Of these, the European Space Agency's Giotto Mission will pass closest to the comet and should provide unique information on the structure and composition of its nucleus. In addition to satellite-borne experiments, a world-wide ground observing programme is planned. I understand that this co-operation—because it is very much a case of co-operation among the various nations who are launching satellites—is almost unique.

§ Baroness Nicol
My Lords, can the Minister assure us that the cuts inflicted by the DES on the astronomy programme will not be of an order which would reduce the level of the research below what is reasonable? Can he assure the House that the substantial investment in telescopes, both here and in 1142 Australia, will receive enough backing from the Government to enable all the necessary research to continue?

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I think the Answer I have given has probably put a nail in the coffin of this talk of cuts. The SERC are spending some £1.5 million on this programme, and I understand they think it is adequate. It is coming out of their existing budget. They are involved in the Giotto spacecraft project and in fact on the spacecraft two out of the ten experiments are British. They are also providing astronomers with observing time on ground-based telescopes which are situated in both the northern and southern hemispheres; and in regard to the telescopes situated in Australia, Hawaii, South Africa and the Canary Islands, they are doing this out of their grant-in-aid budget. So much for the cuts, therefore.

§ Lord Tordoff
My Lords, could the noble Earl the Minister suggest to his department that these questions should be put into a computer so that they can be brought out again 76 years from now?

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I think they will be on tape.

§ Lord Molson
My Lords, in view of the wide scope of this Question, may I ask two supplementary questions in order to elucidate it?

A Noble Lord
One!

§ Lord Molson
My Lords, may I ask one question in two parts? I find from the dictionary that to monitor is: to observe carefully a course of action or conduct with a view to admonishing another as to his conduct". Have Her Majesty's Government received any assurance that Halley's Comet will respect any admonition, which is given? If Halley's Comet disregards the monitoring, which ought to be foreseen, however much it might be regretted, would the Government consider this to be a suitable case to which to extend rate-capping? If, indeed, there was no co-operation, would the Government go so far as to contemplate, as in the case of the Greater London Council, total abolition?

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I understand the comet has a very, very long tail. They might try to do something to that.

§ Lord Shinwell
My Lords, would the noble Earl the Minister not agree that something must be done about this? The Government must have something to their credit.

§ The Earl of Swinton
My Lords, I tried to explain to noble Lords that the Government are doing a lot about this. I think we can take great credit for what is being done.