§ 103. Mr. Ernie RossTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of research and development expenditure in the United Kingdom as a percentage of gross domestic product in the light of the finding by the Society of British Aerospace Companies that the Government have over-estimated their research and development expenditure.
§ Mr. AtkinsI have no reason to revise the estimate of total United Kingdom expenditure on research and development (R and D) in the light of the study carried out by the Society of British Aerospace Companies. This relates to the funding by Ministry of Defence of development contract work carried out by some aerospace defence manufacturers. In common with other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development the United Kingdom compiles statistics of total expenditure on R and D by aggregating expenditure on R and D by the sectors performing the R and D not by sectors funding the R and D.