§ Mr. David Howellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will give the total cost to public funds in the current year of the Nature Conservancy and the number of qualified scientists and engineers and other staff employed there; and if he will list the five most expensive projects on which the Conservancy is working, showing the cost of each;
(2) if he will give the total cost to public funds in the current year of the Research Vessel Unit, including R.R.S. "John Murray", and the number of qualified scientists and engineers and other staff employed there; and if he will list the five most expensive projects on which the unit is working, showing the cost of each;
(3) if he will give the total cost to public funds in the current year of the Institute of Geological Science and the number of qualified scientists and engineers and other staff employed there; and if he will list the five most expensive projects on which the Institute is working, showing the cost of each;
(4) if he will give the total cost to public funds in the current year of the Hydrological Research Unit and the number of qualified scientists and engineers and other staff employed there; and if he will list the five most expensive projects on which the unit is working, showing the cost of each;
(5) if he will give the total cost to public funds in the current year of the Algal Culture Centre and the number of qualified scientists and engineers and other staff employed there; and if he will list the five most expensive projects in which the centre is working, showing the cost of each;
(6) if he will give the total cost to public funds in the current year of the National Institute of Oceanography and the number of qualified scientists and engineers and other staff employed there: 314W and if he will list the five most expensive projects on which the institute is working, showing the cost of each.
Pursuant to his reply, OFFICIAL REPORT, 21st March, 1969, Vol. 780, c. 162–3, Mr. EDWARD SHORT supplied the following information concerning projects and programmes of work:
315W
Cost in 1968–69 £ Institute of Geological Sciences Field Geological Survey 800,000 Geophysical research and survey, including Continental Shelf 450,000 Geochemical research and survey, including uranium minerals survey 330,000 Other Mineral Resources research, survey and intelligence, including sand and gravel resources survey 110,000 Scientific support for overseas research and surveys 200,000 Nature Conservancy The main functions of the Nature Conservancy are: (a) the establishing and management of nature reserves. (b) advising on all aspects of nature conservation. (c) research on terrestrial ecology and conservation. The conservation and advisory functions are not divisible into projects enabling separate costing but under (c) the five most expensive programmes are: International Biological Programme 100,000 Agricultural habitats (including effects of toxic chemicals) 55,000 Mountains and moorlands 50,000 Woodlands 45,000 Chalk grassland and scrublands 35,000 National Institute of Oceanography Data processing including installation of computer in the laboratory and in R.R.S. Discovery 230,000 Ocean circulation 205,000 Biology of the deep oceans 120,000 Geology and geophysics of the deep ocean bed 120,000 Research on tides and storm surges 110,000 Institute of Hydrology The programme is concentrated on one major study of the hydro-logical principles governing the water balance of catchments, including the influence of land use 240,000 Research Vessel Unit The Unit itself does not undertake research. Its function is to operate, maintain and crew the research vessels owned by Council including the R.R.S. John Murray and to organise and service the Council's pool of major scientific equipment for marine research 300,000
Cost in 1968–69 £ Culture Centre for Algae and Protozoa The building for the Centre is at present under construction and is expected to be ready early in 1970. The centre will bring together existing collections of algae and protozoa and will develop supporting research activities on methods of culturing, and on the physiology and genetics of these organisms. Only capital expenditure on the building is incurred in the current year 13,000