§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people employed on research council grants have funding from the research councils for telephone bills; and how many do not. [28678]
§ Mr. HoramResearch councils' databases do not hold data at this level of disaggregation. Telephone bills are covered within the indirect costs element of research grants, except where the telephone cost dedicated to a specific project exceeds £1000 per annum.
§ Mr. BattleTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking or has taken to ensure that funds provided by research councils to meet overhead costs to universities associated with the employment of those funded by such grants are used for the purposes for which they are intended. [28679]
2W
§ Mr. HoramThe funds provided to universities by the research councils to meet overhead or indirect costs are intended to cover central and departmental costs that underpin research activities, but that cannot readily be uniquely assigned to particular research projects. The funding for indirect costs is therefore not earmarked in any way for particular purposes.
The Government are currently funding an independent review of new arrangements introduced in 1992 for the funding of research council work in universities to examine whether these are operating as intended.