§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to increase his Department's budget for sponsoring research into environmental matters and ensuring that the findings of such research are readily available to inform policy making at a national and local level.
Mr. JacksonThe findings of research into environmental matters sponsored by this Department are published in national and international scientific journals. The Natural Environment Reseach Council publishes an annual report which is laid before the House; copies of the latest report, for 1987–88, are available in the Library. The NERC also issues an annual corporate plan, annual reports of each of its institutes, and other publications detailing strategies in individual areas of science; copies of these are available direct from the NERC. The other research councils have similar arrangements. The Government review their expenditure plans each year after they have received advice from the Advisory Board for the Research Councils.