§ Sir J. Fletcher-Cookeasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total expenditure on scientific research, as defined in paragraph 20 of the Report of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy, Command Paper No. 2538, during 1964–65; what amount will be provided for this purpose in 1965–66; and whether he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the amounts referred to in paragraph 21 of Command Paper No. 2538.
§ Mr. CroslandThe estimated expenditure for 1964–65 on civil scientific research for which I am now responsible is £43.5 million. The estimated cost of scientific research work undertaken by the universities in the same year is £37.4 million. The resulting total of £81 million is broadly comparable with the figure of £77 million quoted in paragraph 20 of the last Report of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy.
The corresponding total for 1965–66 is £98 million, which includes £45.4 million in respect of the universities.
The Government will consider the future requirements of civil scientific research in the light of advice from the Research Councils and the Council for Scientific Policy.