§ Mrs. René e Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how 662W much finance was made available to the Medical Research Council for each of the last five years, at current prices, for (a) supporting new research; and (b) capital building; and how much is being allocated for the current and future years.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneThe following table shows, at 1980–81 forecast outturn prices, the amounts of the Medical Research Council's annual grants-in-aid from the science budget for the years 1975–76 to 1980–81. As I explained in my reply to one of the hon. Lady's other questions, decisions on the allocation of the science budget for future years have not yet been made.
£ million 1975–76 66.8 1976–77 67.1 1977–78 65.4 1978–79 6.3 1979–80 68.3 1980–81 72.8 From the above grants-in-aid, the council allocated the following amounts to capital building in each of the years in question—on the same price basis:
£ million 1975–76 2.1 1976–77 2.1 1977–78 2.1 1978–79 3.6 1979–80 3.4 1980–81 3.0 The council allocated £6.1 million in 1979–80, and £7.2 million in 1980–81, to new research—prices on the same basis. These amounts derive in part from the council's grant-in-aid and in part from funds received from other Departments for commissioned research, these latter funds amounting to about one-quarter of the former. It is not possible without disproportionate cost to provide comparable figures for the earlier years.