§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total amount of money spent on the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme in each financial year since 1985 and how much of this was spent specifically by the Ministry of Defence.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe annual expenditure by the Ministry of Defence on the Joint Research Council/MOD research grants scheme in each financial year since 1985 is as follows:
£ 1985–86 nil 1986–87 110,559 1987–88 870,654 1988–89 2,078,082 1989–90 3,256,617 1990–91 15,250,000 1 Estimate. The amount of research council commitment is a matter for the councils themselves.
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the areas of research identified as high priority under the directed mode component of the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleTo date the scheme has operated in responsive mode only.
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many research grants currently exist under the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme; how many universities and polytechnics currently hold these grants; and what is their total value.
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§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThere are currently 426 Joint RC/MOD research grants involving 61 universities and polytechnics. The total MOD contribution to these awards amounts to £20.5 million.
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many research grants have been awarded under the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme in each financial year since 1985;
(2) how many research grants have been awarded in each financial year since 1985 under the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme specifically in conjunction with (a) the Science and Engineering Research Council, (b) the Medical Research Council, (c) Natural Environment Research Council (d) Agricultural and Food Research Council and (e) Economic and Social Research Council.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe figures requested are as follows. No joint grant awards have been made with the Agricultural and Food Research Council.
Year SERC NERC ESRC MRC Total 1985–86 — — — — — 1986–87 65 5 — — 70 1987–88 35 7 — — 42 1988–89 73 6 — 3 82 1989–90 141 6 5 1 153 11990–91 83 1 1 1 86 1 To date.
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money the Ministry of Defence originally planned to spend on the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme in each financial year since 1985.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleIt was envisaged that MOD funding to the scheme would build up progressively to some £5 million per annum.
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which of the Science and Engineering Research 621W Council's interdisciplinary research centres his Department has providing funding; what amount of funding has been provided; and for what purpose.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe Ministry of Defence currently provides funding to one of the Science and Engineering Research Council's interdisciplinary research centres. It is not our policy to give further details of these arrangements.
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the Ministry of Defence's research establishments have been involved in the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThe following have been involved:
- Admiralty Research Establishment
- Atomic Weapons Establishment
- Chemical Defence Establishment
- Royal Aerospace Establishment
- Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment
- Royal Signals and Radar Establishment
- Stores and Clothing Research and Development Establishment
§ Ms. PrimaroloTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what links there have been in the last three years between the Ministry of Defence and the research councils.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleContributions are made to grants for work of relevance to defence under the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme. Also the MOD and the Science and Engineering Research Council co-fund awards to certain students who are jointly supervised by their university and the defence research establishments. MOD staff sit as members or assessors on certain research council committees and panels.