HC Deb 05 March 1984 vol 55 cc408-9W
Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much Government finance has been made available to support research at the department of electronics at Chelsea college, London, on fast electronic switching devices; and whether any additional finance will be made available by Her Majesty's Government in the next academic year.

Mr. Brooke

Since 1973 the total amount awarded by the Science and Engineering Research Council to the department of electronics at Chelsea college through research grants for specific projects is about £350,000 (the sum of the actual cash amounts year by year). At least 25 per cent. of this sum has been for research in the fast electronic switching area. Over and above that provision, a proportion of the block grant allocated to Chelsea college through the University Grants Committee is spent on this area of research; but the amount cannot be identified.

I cannot prejudge decisions about awards of new research grants in the coming academic year. Such decisions are for the Council.