Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total identifiable expenditure on research by his Department in each year since 1979; what proportion was awarded on a customer-contractor basis; and what proportion of his total departmental budget was expended on research for each year.
§ Mr. Chris PattenExpenditure by my Department on research since 1979 is as follows:
£ million 1979–80 33.4 1980–81 39.0 1981–82 35.8 1982–83 32.2 1983–84 31.5 1984–85 34.9 1985–86 41.4 1986–87 54.0 1987–88 56.1 1988–89 56.6 The proportion of this research commissioned on a customer-contractor basis was in excess of 97 per cent. for each of the above years. The proportion of my Department's total budget spent on research is as follows:
Per cent. 1984–85 0.75 1985–86 0.98 1986–87 1.37 1987–88 1.48 1988–89 1.63