§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those food and agricultural research programmes and institutes from which funding has been withdrawn during 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90.
§ Mr. RyderOverall funding of agricultural, fisheries and food research and development by the Agriculture departments was reduced by £10 million in 1987–88, as part of the Government's policy to encourage industry to48W make a greater contribution towards the costs of R and D from which it benefits. Public support remained unchanged in 1988–89, and will be reduced by a further £5 million in 1989–90 under the Government's plans progressively to withdraw funding from near market research. A list of projects indicative of the work considered to be near market in the agriculture and food sectors was deposited in the Library of the House in November 1988. Funding of individual projects within the research programme is under continuous review, and in the natural course of events funding is withdrawn from particular projects as they reach a conclusion. The allocation of available funds for commissioned work to particular institutes is a matter for the Agriculture and Food Research council.