§ Mr. Hattonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the level of Government financial support to the new Water Research Centre.
§ Mr. Denis HowellThe Government's policy is that the water industry as a whole should be served by a strong and largely self-sufficient research centre and that, from the outset, the industry itself should provide most of the funds. The main subscribers to the Water Research Centre will be the new water authorities, but my Department will also provide substantial finance through contracts for projects which relate directly to Government's 175W own responsibilities and through grants for work in certain broadly designated areas which are of interest jointly to Government and industry. It is also proposed to transfer to the centre without charge the physical assets of the Water Pollution Research Laboratory and that part of the Water Resources Board which has now become part of the Water Research Centre. This will be the subject of the Treasury Minute procedure.