§ Sir Gerard VaughanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the procedures and criteria for deciding priorities when allocating funds for scientific and technological research and development in Europe.
Mr. JacksonFunds from the science budget are not specifically allocated for the support of European scientific research. From the resources made available to them annually, however, research councils and other agencies expend substantial sums on collaborative research within Europe. Decisions on priorities will generally reflect the scientific judgments of those involved. In reaching decisions in individual cases account is likely to be taken of a range of factors including the added value likely to be achievable from particular collaborative arrangements; their complementarity to domestic research priorities; their scope for improving the quality of European science; the likelihood of technology transfer; the pursuit of research goals requiring study of trans-border issues; and the extent to which the costs and risks of large-scale investment may be shared.