§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has had calling for the creation of 20 new university posts for biotechnologists, and from whom; what consideration he will now give to this; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveThe creation of 20 new university posts in biotechnology was recommended in the report of a joint working party of the Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development, of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils and of the Royal Society. The Royal Society Education Committee has since repeated that recommendation in a recent unpublished report. As indicated in the Government's response to the joint working party's report, provision in the universities for126W new technologies including biotechnology is kept under review by the research councils and the University Grants Committee.