§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many ministerial speeches he has made on science policy outside Parliament since he was appointed Secretary of State; and if he will list the details of each such speech.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI specifically addressed the Government's policy for science in my speech to the Association of Science Education on 7 January and have dealt with particular aspects of science policy on many other occasions: for example, in my speech to the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics on 17 September, in which I covered policy on the funding of academic research.
I have also made a number of visits to scientific establishments since my appointment, most recently the British Geological Survey, and the MRC Institute of Hearing on 20 September.
I keep in regular touch with the chairmen of the research councils and attended a meeting of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on 18 September. Today I have meetings with representatives of the Royal Society and with the Astronomer Royal to discuss science policy.