§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response he is making to the review of British investment in the European molecular biology laboratory at Heidelberg by a special Medical Research Council working party.
§ Mr. BrookeThe review referred to was conducted by an ad hoc group set up by the Medical Research Council in response to a recommendation by the Advisory Board for the Research Councils (ABRC) in its published 1982 advice to my right hon. Friend. The ABRC's recommendation was that the council should review its continued participation in the European molecular biology laboratory.
The council announced on 17 January that it had considered the report of the review by the ad hoc group—a copy of which is in the Library—at its December meeting and would be responding to the ABRC. I understand that the ABRC intends to consider the council's response shortly. It will be for the ABRC to decide in the light of its discussions what advice, if any, it will give to my right hon. Friend on the matter.