§ 11.18 a.m.
§ The Viscount of Oxfuird asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ How the recently announced increase in expenditure on environmental research will be allocated.
343§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science announced in November an increase of £175 million in the science budget for the period 1990–91 to 1992–93, of which over £24 million has so far been allocated to equipment needed for environmental research. My right honourable friend is at present considering the Advisory Board for the Research Councils' advice on the allocation of the remainder of the science budget for the next three years and his decision will be announced in due course. It will be for the research councils to decide their future priorities for specific research areas within the overall totals allocated to them.
The Viscount of OxfuirdMy Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply. Can he possibly indicate to the House how he believes the increased funding will benefit the research undertaken by this country?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, part of the additional funding will contribute to the construction of the Royal Research Ship "James Clark Ross" which will play a key role in support of research programmes in the Antarctic. Funding is also being provided for the construction of an instrument for use on board a proposed earth remote sensing satellite for launch in 1993.
§ Lord MolloyMy Lords, is the noble Viscount aware that the statement he has just made about research to protect the environment is most welcome? However, are the Government prepared to accept that certain aspects of the clean air legislation, which has made such a massive contribution to clean air, have been neglected by some local authorities? Does he accept that the environment could be protected if those local authorities were reminded of their responsibilities and of their powers to prosecute where it is absolutely necessary?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, that question is rather far from the Question on the Order Paper, but I take the point made by the noble Lord.
§ Lord EzraMy Lords, does the noble Viscount agree that improved energy efficiency can contribute most to improving the environment in future years? Is any of the additional funding likely to be allocated to basic research on energy efficiency?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, my right honourable friend is at present considering the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on the allocation of the science budget. I am unable to comment at the moment on whether that advice includes a recommendation on the lines suggested by the noble Lord. I shall draw his remarks to the attention of my right honourable friend.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, further to the question of the noble Lord, Lord Ezra, in view of the cuts in the budget of the Energy Efficiency Office, will the Minister impress on his right honourable friend the necessity to increase research into energy efficiency? Since I assume that the members of the 344 new green Government opposite all use low energy electric light bulbs, can the Minister advise the House where such bulbs can be purchased? In the United States they are being given away by public utilities but in this country there seems to be no supply of them.
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, that also is a question on energy efficiency. This Question relates to environmental research.
§ Lord PestonMy Lords, I assume that the Minister of State at the Department of Industry will be advising us as to the places where we can buy light bulbs. It must be within his department's area of responsibility.
This is an important question and the noble Viscount was right to emphasise the context of the science budget. However, is he not aware that the Advisory Board for the Research Councils has asked the Secretary of State for almost twice the increase which it received and that therefore its view is that the science budget is seriously under-financed? Does he agree that if that is the case, à fortiori the environmental research budget would be too low?
More generally is the noble Viscount not aware that the costs that this country will incur as a result of environmental damage are measured in billions? Does he agree that therefore the research sums that we are talking about, in millions, would be highly cost-effective and should be very strongly supported?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I do not believe that it is the Government's job to advise on purchasing light bulbs. However, I shall do anything I can to help the noble Lord.
The settlement represents a substantial increase in resources. The science budget in 1990–91 will be nearly 10 per cent. more in cash terms than in the current financial year or 4.7 per cent. higher in real terms. I can tell the noble Lord that the chairman of the ABRC has welcomed the increase. The science budget in 1990–91 will be more than 28 per cent. higher in real terms than when the Government came to office in 1979.
§ Lord Hatch of LusbyMy Lords, does the noble Viscount recognise that energy efficiency is a part of environmental research, and an important part? Will he answer my question and the question of the noble Lord, Lord Ezra? Will part of the new allocation be devoted to research on energy efficiency?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, I have answered that question, and anyway it is a separate issue.
The Viscount of OxfuirdMy Lords, can my noble friend indicate what international collaborative research projects this country is involved in?
§ Viscount DavidsonMy Lords, the United Kingdom is playing a major role in a range of international research projects including the World Ocean Circulation Experiment, the Joint Global Biogeochemical Ocean Flux Study, the Ocean Drilling Programme and a range of earth observation 345 satellites for which the UK has provided specific remote sensing instruments.
§ Lord TordoffMy Lords, is the noble Viscount aware how pleased we are on these Benches to see all the green plants on the Government Back Benches flourishing at this time of year?
§ Viscount DavidsonYes, my Lords.