§ 67. Mr. Frank CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the value of those research proposals graded A by the biochemical ocean flux study of the Natural Environment Research Council which are currently unfunded, which are directly relevant to the absorption of carbon dioxide in the oceans, and to the carbon cycle generally.
Mr. JacksonI am informed that the cost of unfunded research within phase 1 of the NERC biogeochemical ocean flux study, lasting until March 1992, is £2.7 million. The NERC is committing £6.97 million to the programme and £0.37 million has been obtained externally. All of this work is directly relevant to furthering our understanding of the global carbon cycle and the absorption of carbon dioxide in the oceans.