HC Deb 19 January 1990 vol 165 c433W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will outline British involvement and funding proposals for participation in the subatomic particles research project at the Sudbury neutrino observatory; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jackson

The Sudbury neutrino observatory project is a collaboration involving Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom's involvement is through a group at Oxford university's nuclear physics laboratory which is developing a water purification and testing system for the large heavy water detector being built in northern Ontario.

The group is supported by means of a research grant of £276,000 over three years (1989–92) from the science and engineering research council (SERC) and a contribution from Oxford university of about £120,000 over the same period.

Any application for further funding for the project would be considered by SERC against other calls on its budget.