§ Mr. Greenwayasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the science budget for 1933–84 will be distributed between the research bodies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir Keith JosephHaving considered the recommendations of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils, I have decided that the science budget for 1983–84 should, subject to approval by Parliament of the Estimates in due course, be allocated as follows:
1983–84 £ million (cash prices) Agricultural Research Council 46.0 Medical Research Council 113.7 Natural Environment Research Council 62.5 Science and Engineering Research Council 254.5 Social Science Research Council 22.4 British Museum (Natural History) *12.7 Royal Society 5.0 *516.8 * Including expenditure of £3.3 million by PSA on behalf of the museum. The advice I received from the ABRC this year was published, with my agreement, and the following is the text of a letter I have sent to Sir Alec Merrison, chairman of the ABRC, in response.
Dear Sir Alec,