§ Mr. Warrenasked the Secretary of State for Energy which laboratories within his Department, or within bodies for which he is responsible, have had their research budgets reduced in the current financial year; what is the financial value of the reduction; what is this figure expressed as a percentage of the total work carried out in the laboratory; and which of the laboratories for which he is responsible are being considered for privatisation.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerDepartment of Energy funding of nuclear R and D carried out by the United Kingdom atomic Energy Authority is estimated at £189.6 million (cash) for 1985–86, compared with £196.2 million (cash) in 1984–85. This reduction of £6.6 million represents under 2 per cent. of the total work expected to be carried out by the authority in 1985–86; it will be made up in part by increased contributions from the electricity generating boards. There are no plans to privatise the authority.
Questions about the R and D programmes of the nationalised energy industries are for the chairmen of those industries.