HC Deb 07 May 1991 vol 190 cc397-8W
Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide a supercomputer for Natural Environment Research Council work for ocean forecasting.

Mr. Alan Howarth

Decisions on the provision of supercomputing facilities are based upon the advice which my right hon. and learned Friend receives from the Advisory Board for the Research Councils. No advice on this matter has yet been received.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what facilities he provides for world ocean calibration development.

Mr. Alan Howarth

The Natural Environment Research Council James Rennell centre at the university of Southampton is actively involved with the British National Space Centre and the European Space Agency in observations designed to calibrate instruments on the European remote sensing satellite—ERS-1—which is used to study temperatures, currents and winds at the ocean surface.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to finance the work on plants in the ocean at the James Rennell centre of the Natural Environment Research Council marine atmospheric sciences unit.

Mr. Alan Howarth

The Natural Environment Research Council is already supporting research at the James Rennell centre for ocean circulation at the university of Southampton, in collaboration with Princeton university in the USA and the United Kingdom climate prediction centre—the Hadley centre—in the development of mathematical models of the seasonal variation in the production of microscopic planktonic plants in the oceans, with special reference to their role in the absorption of carbon dioxide.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what requests he has received from the National Rivers Authority for more information facilities in the Western ocean.

Mr. Alan Howarth

My right hon. and learned Friend has received no such request.

Mr. Dalyell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking to improve relationships with the Japanese in relation to(a) deep ocean technology, (b) the study of the micro-structure of the ocean and (c) global climate weather forecasting.

Mr. Alan Howarth

Working relationships are generally established at a personal level in the course of an individual scientist's work. Scientists supported by the Natural Environment Research Council maintain good relations with the Japanese in relation to both deep-ocean technology and the study of the micro-structure of the ocean. The links between the United Kingdom and Japan relating to global climate weather forecasting are primarily made through the Meteorological Office. Recently visits have been made to Japan to discuss operational meteorological and oceanographic forecasting.

In 1989, a round table meeting of senior Government scientists from Japan and the United Kingdom was held in London. Marine technology was one of the many items discussed. A further meeting will be held in Tokyo later this year.