Medical Research Council

HC Deb 05 March 1986 vol 93 cc139-41W

Mr. Freeson

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what units run by the Medical Research Council have been closed in each of the last three years; and which units are now threatened with closure.

Mr. Walden

The information is as follows:

Calendar year	Unit
1983	Lipid Metabolism
1984	Laboratory Studies of Tuberculosis Dental
1985	Pneumoconiosis Neurochemical Pharmacology

Table 1
Medical Research Council (MRC) expenditure—Cash terms
£ million
	Financial years
	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85
MRC total expenditure	92,941	106,511	112,864	119,778	123,758
of which:
Grants awarded by MRC	29,303	32,394	33,991	37,167	39,581
Expenditure in MRC's own research establishments	51,795	60,777	64,325	66,800	67,057
Other MRC expenditure	11,843	12,340	14,548	15,811	17,120

Table 2
Medical Research Council expenditure—Cost terms 1984–85 prices
£ million
	Financial years
	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85
MRC total expenditure	119,201	124,207	122,991	124,914	123,758
of which:
Grants awarded by MRC	37,582	37,776	37,041	38,761	39,581
Expenditure in MRC's own research establishments	66,429	70,874	70,097	69,665	67,057
Other MRC expenditure	15,189	15,556	15,853	16,489	17,120

Table 3
MRC projected expenditure
£ million
Financial years	Cash terms	Cost terms at 1984–85 prices
1986–87	135.4	123.4
1987–88	138.1	121.6
1988–89	142.1	121.5

Mr. Freeson

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of (a) alpha rated and (b) other research projects by universities were funded by the Medical Research Council in each of the last five years;

I understand that the possible closure of the following three units is at present under consideration: The Trauma Unit, Manchester; the MRC Unit on Meural Mechanisms of Behaviour, London; and the Developmental Neurobiology Unit, London.

Mr. Freeson

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of the Medical Research Council's expenditure for each of the last five years, broken down into the grants it gives and its own expenditure and the projected expenditure for the next three years, in cash and real terms.

Mr. Walden

The details are as follows:

and how much uncommitted money the Medical Research Council currently has available to finance new projects and programmes or existing ones which may merit renewal.

Mr. Walden

The information is as follows:

Academic Year
	1980–81 Per cent.	1981–82 Per cent.	1982–83 Per cent.	1983–84 Per cent.	1984–85 Per cent.
Alpha graded research grant applications funded by the MRC	89	88	95	70	83
Other research grant applications not alpha graded and funded by MRC	—	—	—	—	—

The figures relate to short-term support only. Information on long-term support is not available.

I understand that in the academic year 1985–86 the MRC had uncommitted funds of £6.72 million to be spent on research grants in 1986–87.