§ Lord Swinfenasked Her Majesty's Government:
What further progress there has been in deciding the future ownership of the Natural Resources Institute.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)I announced on 14th December that final bids for NRI were being invited from three groups. Two final bids were received. Following detailed consideration of these in relation to the Government's objectives for the transfer, I have decided to give preferred bidder status to a Consortium of the University of Edinburgh, University of Greenwich, Imperial College of Science and Technology and Medicine and Wye College of the University of London. Subject to the satisfactory conclusion of negotiations, I intend that NRI should transfer to the new owners as soon as practicable.