§ Mr. Tebbitasked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the total sum expended from her Department's Vote upon science and technology; in what ways it is allocated; and how she ensures that such sums are spent wisely.
§ Mrs. HartThere is an element of science and technology in almost all of the capital aid and technical co-operation projects with which my Ministry is concerned, but it cannot be quantified separately. Expenditure from the official Aid Programme on Scientific Research and Development as such amounted in 1976–77 to some £10.5 million, compared with £9.5 million in 1975–76. A description of how this expenditure is allocated, and of my Ministry's methods of control,496W is given in the opening pages of the Ministry's Report on Research and Development 1976, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. I hope that the 1977 edition of this report will issue before the end of this year. Additionally, £205,000 was recently allocated from the aid programme to support new activities in the field of appropriate technology in 1977–78. No expenditure has been incurred yet, but a further sum of at least £540,000 will be allocated in 1978–79. This follows the report of an official Working Party on Appropriate Technology published as Overseas Development Paper No. 8, a copy of which is being placed in the Library of the House.