HC Deb 26 March 1969 vol 780 cc313-5W
Mr. David Howell

asked 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: 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:

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