§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about staff redundancies in the Natural Environment Research Council.
Mr. JacksonThe Department has received 166 representations about staff redundancies in the NERC. Staffing levels are for the council itself to determine. I am informed that areas of high priority science have been safeguarded, and I understand that only about 41 compulsory redundancies are now expected, less than half the number originally announced. The redundancies arise from the council's planning to reflect changing scientific priorities and to keep within its projected budget following a reduction in income for commissioned research.
§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research is now undertaken by the Natural Environment Research Council in respect of the greenhouse effect; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. JacksonSuch research spans many NERC fields of activity. Major relevant projects in the marine sciences directorate include the biogeochemical ocean flux study, the fine Resolution Antarctic model, and the world ocean circulation experiment, while the terrestrial and freshwater directorate's work includes improving global climate model predictions. The British Antarctic Survey does long-term meteorological and climate studies, and the ocean drilling programme improves understanding of past382W global climate. NERC also administers four CEGB-funded fellowships relating to greenhouse gases, and supports the United Kingdom universities' global atmospheric modelling project and the tropical ocean and global atmosphere project.