§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the membership of the Construction Research Advisory Council at the time of its last general report included 11 civil servants but only four builders; and what action he is taking to remedy that imbalance.
§ Mr. AmeryAt the time of its report the Council included 16 external members as well as 11 civil servants who represented the wide range of interests in construction and research in Government. The creation of the Department of the Environment provides the opportunity to extend the scope of the Council and to rationalise the official membership. I hope to make an announcement shortly about new arrangements for Advisory Councils in the research field in the context of the new Department.
§ Mr. Chichester-Clarkasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department has taken to implement the recommendation of the Construction Research Advisory Council Report that the Department should support a large programme of external research in universities and research associations.
§ Mr. AmeryMy Department has acted on the advice of the Council by placing contracts for a number of research projects with Research Associations, Universities and industrial firms. The scale and direction of future support is being examined in the context of the current review of the Department's research and development programme.