HC Deb 22 May 1986 vol 98 cc275-6W
Mr. Faulds

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to reject the recommendations of the Science and Engineering Research Council on the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

Mr. Walden

I understand that the Science and Engineering Research Council is not in a position to take a decision on its preferred site for the Royal Greenwich Observatory before its June meeting.

Mr. Faulds

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange to publish the Science and Engineering Research Council's report on the Royal Greenwich Observatory prepared by Sir John Kingman.

Mr. Walden

The report prepared by a working group under the chairmanship of Sir John Kingman was one of a series of internal documents prepared to assist the Science and Engineering Council in its deliberations on the possible future relocation of the Royal Greenwich Observatory. It would be inappropriate to publish such a document.

Mr. Faulds

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details, by individual programme, of (a) research on positional astronomy,(b) work on laser ranging of artificial satellites and (c) Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office work carried out at the Royal Greenwich Observatory on his behalf; and what assessment he has made of the effects of the proposed dispersal of the observatory on these programmes.

Mr. Walden

The details requested for the specified programmes are as follows, together with the Science and Engineering Research Council's estimate of the effects of the proposed move of the Royal Greenwich Observatory on the programmes:—(i) Research on positional astronomy at RGO: The observatory participates in four programmes concerned with the measurement of the positions and movement of stars and planets. These are:—

  1. (a) The ESA astrometric satellite HIPPARCOS to be launched in 1988. It would be necessary to make special arrangements to protect the HIPPARCOS programme by relocating the team earlier than the main Observatory move;
  2. (b) Carlsberg Automatic Meridan Circle, now in operation on La Palma, this would be unaffected by a move;
  3. (c) the second Cape photographic catalogue now nearing completion, this would also be unaffected by a move;
  4. (d) the Equatorical group of telescopes, which are currently in use on funded research programmes and are made available for university teaching and other support observations in positional astronomy. They cannot be relocated with the RGO and could be lost to scientific research.
(ii) Work on laser ranging on artificial satellites: The RGO operates at Herstmonceux on behalf of the Science and Engineering Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Ministry of Defence and Department of Trade and Industry, a satellite laser ranging system which is one of the few most effective ones in the world. It regularly measures the continually varying range to two SLR—dedicated satellites with a precision of about 4cm. The council is currently considering the implication of a move on the laser ranging work. (iii) Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office: in collabora-tion with United States Naval Observatory produces various publications giving the position of planets. natural satellites and stars, for use by navigators, astronomers and surveyors. This programme would not be affected by relocation.