HL Deb 28 October 1985 vol 467 cc1439-40WA
Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they can confirm that the Advisory Board for Research Councils, which makes recommendations to the Secretary of State for Education on the funding of research councils, and whose recommendations affect the funding received by the Agriculture and Food Research Council (AFRC), publishes an annual report, and whether they will take steps to allow the Priorities Board to publish the advice that it gives to agriculture Ministers and the chairman of the AFRC.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Belstead)

I understand that the Advisory Board for the Research Council does not publish an annual report. However, with the approval of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science it does publish the advice that it gives him from time to time on the size and distribution of the science budget and on other general science policy issues. In a Written Answer to the noble Lord on 3rd July (ref. col. 1301), I said that when the Priorities Board's advice on future priorities and resource allocations had been received we would be considering how all those with an interest were to be kept informed. That remains the position.

Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will confirm that the Joint Consultative Organisation (JCO), which used to give advice to the Agriculture and Food Research Council and Agriculture Ministers about priorities for agricultural research, published an annual report on its activities, and why, if so, when the JCO was replaced by the Priorities Board, the practice of publishing such a report was not continued.

Lord Belstead

The JCO consultative board did not publish annual reports on its activities but it did make available discussion papers on a number of research topics. The reports of ad hoc JCO committees were made available to interested parties and this practice has been continued with the reports of research consultative committees which have a similar function.

Lord Melchett

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will confirm that advice given on future priorities for agricultural research by the Priorities Board is made available to the Agriculture and Food Research Council as well as agriculture Ministers, and that it therefore does not fall into the same category as advice provided by civil servants to Ministers, as far as the question of confidentiality of such advice is concerned.

Lord Belstead

Under its terms of reference the Priorities Board advises the United Kingdom agriculture Ministers and the Chairman of the Agricultural and Food Research Council on priorities for research and development in agriculture and food and on the allocation of research and development budgets. It will be for the recipients of that advice to decide jointly how it is to be handled and how all those with an interest are to be kept informed.