§ Mr. Anthony CoombsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what conclusions the Science and Engineering Research Council has reached in its review of neutron facilities at the Institut Laue-Langevin in Grenoble and the ISIS source at its Rutherford-Appleton laboratory; how those conclusions relate to the present problems with the ILL reactor; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan HowarthFollowing its review of neutron beam requirements earlier this year, the Science and Engineering Research Council concluded that its expenditure in this area of science should be reduced by some £5 million a year from the previously planned level with effect from 1994–95.
The council further concluded that its financial support for the ISIS facility should remain broadly in line with currently planned levels. It is therefore seeking a reduction in the level of the United Kingdom's contribution to the Institut Laue-Lagevin (ILL) beyond 1993.
The council's aim is to reach a satisfactory agreement with our French and German partners in the ILL both on the question of the future level of United Kingdom participation and on the related question of a repair plan for the reactor. To achieve this the United Kingdom is proposing that the present ILL convention should be 585W superseded from 1 January 1994; formal notice to this effect, as required under the convention, will be given before the end of 1991.
The United Kingdom delegation will be making a statement on the United Kingdom's position to the ILL council, now meeting in Grenoble, later today. A copy of that statement is being placed in the Library.