INSTITUTE OF FOOD RESEARCH

HL Deb 26 June 1989 vol 509 cc572-4WA

Lord Molloy

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they intend to reinstate the 100 scientists dismissed from the Insititute of Food Research; and if not, why not.

Viscount Davidson

No scientists have been dismissed from the Institute of Food Research following the announcement of the withdrawal of AFRC funds from the Bristol laboratory. It would not be sensible to speculate at this time on the precise number of posts that will be lost as a result of this decision. Some scientists at Bristol will be redeployed to the IFR laboratories at Norwich and Reading. Meanwhile consultations about the possible continuation of activities currently at Bristol but which will not be transferred to the restructured IFR are under way with a number of outside bodies. It is impossible to say at this stage how many staff might be affected in the transfer of such operations.