Academic Research Equipment

HC Deb 11 April 1989 vol 150 cc425-6W

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the Advisory Board to the Research Councils' survey of academic research equipment will be published; if he will undertake to place a copy of the report in the Library as soon as it is published; and if he will make a statement on the future funding of university research.

Mr. Jackson

I understand that the Advisory Board for the Research Councils will receive a report on its survey of academic research equipment later this month. Publication of the report is a matter for the board.

As already announced, the Government intend to separate the funding of teaching and research in universities, through the Universities Funding Council, in order to encourage institutions to think more systematically about the quality of their performance in both areas. The level of public funding for university research will be reviewed in the normal way as part of the annual public expenditure survey, and by the UFC, the research councils, Government Departments and other publicly funded agencies.