Science Budget (Hansard, 16 December 1991)

§ Mr. Kenneth Clarke

I have considered the Advisory Board for the Research Councils' recommendations on the distribution of the science budget, and have decided to accept the board's advice that the £1,050 million for 1992–93 should, subject to approval by Parliament of the Estimates in due course, be allocated as follows:

Table 1
£ million
Allocations for 1992–93
Agricultural and Food Research Council	107.3
Economic and Social Research Council	45.1
Medical Research Council	227.6
Natural Environment Research Council	129.7
Science and Engineering Research Council	520.8
The Royal Society	17.3
The Fellowship of Engineering	1.6
ABRC (Secretariat and Science Policy Studies)	0.5
Centre for the Exploitation of Science and Technology	0.1
	₁1,050.0

34W

¹ Including £48 million (1992–93), £125 million (1993–94) and £154 million (1994–95) consequent on the new arrangements for funding of scientific work in higher education institutions announced on 8 November 1990, Official Report, columns 27–28.

I have also accepted the board's recommendation that for planning purposes the following indicative allocations should be adopted for the years 1993–94 and 1994–95:

Table 2
£ million
	1993–94	1994–95
Agricultural and Food Research Council	110.1	119.9
Economic and Social Research Council	53.9	58.3
Medical Research Council	256.8	275.2
Natural Environment Research Council	141.0	148.6
Science and Engineering Research Council	587.0	621.7
The Royal Society	18.0	18.7
The Fellowship of Engineering	1.7	1.8
ABRC (Secretariat and Science Policy Studies)	0.5	0.6
Centre for the Exploitation of Science and Technology	0.1	0.1
Unallocated	12.0	25.4
	¹1,181.1	¹1,270.3
¹ Including £48 million (1992–93). £125 million (1993–94) and £154 million (1994–95) consequent on the new arrangements for funding of scientific work in higher education institutions announced on 8 November 1990, Official Report. columns 27–28.

The indicative planning figures contain an unallocated £12 million in 1993–94 and £25.4 million in 1994–95 on which I expect to receive further advice from the ABRC in due course.

The science budget for 1992–93, excluding the dual support transfer, is 25 per cent. higher in real terms than in 1979–80. By 1994–95 it will be over 30 per cent. higher. This represents a significant increase in provision for science, and I hope that the scientific community at large will see it as further evidence of the importance which the Government attach to civil science in the research Councils.

I am particularly pleased that the rising profile of the science budget over the next three years will give the research councils a sound basis for their forward planning and enable them to launch a number of exciting new research initiatives. These include the M RC's neurosciences approach to human health, the AFRC's intracellular signalling in plants and animals, and the NERC's land-ocean interactions study. This increase will also enable SERC to give a substantial boost—an extra £40 million by 1994–95—to its programme of research grants to higher education establishments.

I am publishing the board's advice today. Copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.