§ Mr. Gerald Bowdenasked the Prime Minister when the factual material assembled for the 1984 annual review of Government funded research and development will be published.
§ The Prime MinisterThe annual review of Government funded research and development which was announced in the Government's response (Comnd. 8591) to a House of Lords Select Committee report "Science and Government", has now completed its second cycle. As envisaged in the original White Paper, Departments submitted their R and D plans to the Cabinet Office in the early part of this year: they were reviewed under the guidance of the interdepartmental committee of chief scientists. The material was also considered by the advisory council on applied research and development, which provided its independent advice to the Government. Several aspects of the 1984 review are subject to further study.
The Government wish to encourage informed debate on this important topic and are therefore again publishing the factual material assembled for the 1984 review together with a short commentary section. It will be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office tomorrow, and I am arranging to have copies placed in the Library of the House of Commons.