Dr. ThomasTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to make additional funds available to assist new initiatives at the European Economic Community joint research centres at Geel in Belgium, Petten in the Netherlands, Karlsruhe in the Federal Republic of Germany and Ispra in Italy.
§ Mr. ButcherA 1988–91 programme for the Joint Research Centre was agreed at the Research Council on 29 June. This provides 700 million ecu (£466 million) of Community funding for specific research programmes at the Joint Research Centre, and sets targets for a further 250 million ecu (£166 million) of work under contract to Commission directorates and external customers, both private and public. I regard this as a satisfactory settlement. The obligation on the Joint Research Centre to increase its earnings under contractual arrangements is part of a package of measures aimed to make the Joint Research Centre more efficient and its work more relevant to the Community's needs.
United Kingdom Government Departments will be willing to consider contracting some of their research needs to the Joint Research Centre if they are persuaded that the appropriate expertise is available there at a competitive price.