§ Lord Ironsideasked Her Majesty's Government:
What contributions they have made to EEC research and development direct and indirect action programmes and demonstration programmes for each of the last five years and what is the total value of contracts received by British participating organisations during the same period.
§ Lord TrefgarneFigures relating to net Community research expenditure and to demonstration projects are shown in the Community's annual budget. In 1981 the allocation for research programmes was 225 Mecu (£124 million), and 29.5 Mecu (£ 16 million) for energy demonstration projects. In 1982 the figures in the budget as adopted were 315 Mecu (£ 176 million) and 28 Mecu (£ 16 million) respectively.
It is not possible to state the amount of United Kingdom contributions to EC research and development since our contributions to the EC Budget are not disaggregated. Contracts are awarded for both direct and indirect action (i.e., wholly or partly financed by the EC) by the Commission without reference to member state Governments, and are competed for by a wide range of organisations from both the private and public sectors in all member states. Information issued by the Commission on contracts awarded does not lend itself to analysis based upon shares received by member states. All the indications are, however, that the United Kingdom receives a satisfactory proportion of Community R&D contracts. It is however possible to get a clearer picture in the case of energy demonstration projects. Here, of a total of £102 million budgeted since 1979 for energy saving and alternative sources of energy, we expect about £16 million benefit for United Kingdom companies and organisations.