§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether he will make it his policy to give the Natural Environment Research Council the necessary funds to develop work on environmental microbiology;
(2) whether he will make it his policy to give the Natural Environment Research Council the necessary funds to develop work into the risks and opportunities of modifying natural micro-organisms.
Mr. JacksonMy right hon. Friend will as usual consider expenditure on all areas of scientific research sponsored by this Department later this year, after studying advice from the Advisory Board for the Research Councils.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether, in transferring funds for scientific research from universities to research councils, he will make it his policy to give the Natural Environment Research Council the necessary funds to develop work in the interactions of the land and atmosphere;
127W(2) whether, in transferring funds for scientific research to research counils, he will make it his policy to give the Natural Environment Research Council the necessary funds to develop work in atmospheric sciences.
Mr. JacksonThe planned transfer of funds from the Universities Funding Council to the research councils, recently announced by my right hon. Friend, corresponds to a change in the balance of funding responsibilities for university research projects sponsored by research councils. It is not intended that this will lead to any change in the total funding provided for university research through the two sides of the dual support system, nor to any change in the research council's scientific priorities.