§ Mr. CousinsTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the LINK programmes so far announced, showing in each case the funds committed to them by(a) the Government, (b) higher education institutions, (c) the research councils and (d) the private sector.
§ Mr. ForthThe LINK programmes so far announced, together with the funding authorised, are listed below. Higher education institutions are normally recipients of research council funding. The private sector is required at least to match the Government funding for each LINK programme.
research and in developing those areas of space activity that have commercial potential. Earth observation is now the centre piece of civil space policy. The United Kingdom has joined ESA's Columbus programme, concentrating on the polar platform element: and the Government are funding the establishment of the earth observation data centre at Farnborough. The civil space programme is implemented through the British National Space Centre which brings together the space interests of various Departments and research councils. Greater private sector participation in space programmes is being encouraged. But the Government expect to maintain its own expenditure on civil space at the level of approximately £130 million per annum. Further details are given in the Government's response to the Second Report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, 1987–88 Session. The memorandum containing this response was placed in the Libraries of both Houses on 28 July 1988 (Official Report, House of Lords, c. 477.] and was subsequently published in HL Paper 105 (11 October 1988).