HC Deb 04 May 1976 vol 910 cc309-11W
27. Mr. John H. Osborn

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is now the scale of the national research and development programme both private and public; if he will express this as a percentage of gross national product; and how this compares with the average in the EEC, USA and Japan based on statistics available to him.

Mr. Mulley

In 1972–73, the latest year for which comparisons covering the public and the private sector can be made, United Kingdom expenditure on scientific research and development totalled £1,310 million, equivalent to 2.3 per cent. of the gross domestic product. The percentage for the United States of America was 2.4 per cent. Comparable official figures for the European Economic Community and Japan are not available but the percentage for Japan is believed to be approximately 1.7 per cent.

Mr. John H. Osborn

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are now the total funds available for expenditure on research; how much is spent in Government laboratories whether defence or otherwise, universities, colleges of technology and other learned institutions, research associations, and the laboratories of private industry, respectively, and in total.

Mr. Mulley

The last survey covering the whole economy related to the financial year 1972–73.Figures are given below.

Sector Research performed in each sector Sector (£ million)
Government:
Defence 133
Civil 204
Total Government 337
Universities 110
Further Education 5
Research Associations 19
Public Corporations 69
PrivateIndustry 739
Other 31
Total 1,310

Mr. John H. Osborn

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are now the total funds spent on pure research, applied research and development, respectively, and in total; what percentage this represents of gross national product; how much of these

funds come from public sources; how much, both directly and indirectly, through collective organisations, are provided by private industry and the private sector; and how the position has changed since 1970.

TABLE 1 ANALYSIS OF CURRENT EXPENDITURE, 1972–73
(£ million)
Pure research Applied research Experimental development Unallocated Current expenditure
Expenditure … 83.7 250.6 725.9 112.3 1,172.5
Percentage of GNP … 0.15 0.43 1.26 0.19 2.03

TABLE 2 ANALYSIS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE BY SOURCE OF FUNDS
Source 1969–70 1972–73
£ million Percentage £ million Percentage
Central and local government … … … 529 (50) 640 (49)
Public corporations … … … 52 (5) 76 (6)
Private sector … … … 424 (41) 521 (40)
Abroad … … … 40 (4) 73 (5)
Total … … … 1,045 (100) 1,310 (100)

Mr. John H. Osborn

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, of the total funds spent on research and defence development, how much is spent on defence, and how much on industrial and other research both private and public.

Mr. Mulley

In 1972–73 spending totalled £1,310 million, of which 23 per cent. was spent on defence.