§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of public funds for scientific research for 1983–84 will be spent on agricultural research.
§ Mr. William SheltonBasic agricultural research is mainly undertaken in institutes run or aided by the Agricultural Research Council or in universities. In 1983–84 it is estimated that grant-in-aid of approximately £46 million will be paid by the Department to the council, representing just under 9 per cent. of the estimated science budget of £516.8 million. The council has discretion in apportioning its grant-in-aid between its main activities; these are the conduct of research in its institutes, the support of research in universities, and the support of postgraduate training. Information about the funding of agricultural and related departments in universities through the funds channelled through the University Grants Committee is not available.
The provision of information about the proportions of the programmes of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland which are spent on applied agricultural 304W research and development — including on work commissioned from the Agricultural Research Council—is for my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Scotland, respectively.