§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of research in (a) universities and (b) polytechics is funded by the Sience Research Council; what are the amounts currently involved; and how this compares with the percentages and amounts for each of the previous five years.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneIt is not possible, without disproportionate cost, to supply the requested figures for (a) universities or (b) polytechnics. However, I understand that the estimated cost of all grants for research, wherever conducted, funded by the Science Research Council in 1980–81 is £55.0 million. The corresponding figures for the preceding five years were:
Year Expenditure at outturn prices (million) 1975–76 21.3 1976–77 26.6 1977–78 26.5 1978–79 30.9 1979–80 43.6
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many research projects have been approved by the Science Research Council in (a) universities, (b) polytechnics and (c) elsewhere in the current financial year; and at what cost in each case.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneI shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much he estimates will be given to the Science Research Council in this current financial year; and what percentage of his Department's budget this represents.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneProvision for grants-in-aid to the Science Research Council in the Supply Estimates for 1980–81 presented in March amounted to £201,077,000. This represented 8.8 per cent. of the total estimated Vote-borne expenditure of my Department.