HC Deb 22 October 1992 vol 212 cc342-3W
Mr. Burden

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of gross domestic product is devoted to research in universities; and what information he had for the comparative figures in other EC countries.

Mr. Forman

Data in the 1992 annual review of Government-funded research and development indicate that in 1990 0.3 per cent. of United Kingdom GDP was spent on research and development in higher education, compared with 0.4 per cent. in Germany, 0.3 per cent. in France and 0.25 per cent. in Italy.

Mr. Burden

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of research in British universities is funded by charities; and what information he has on the comparable figures in other European countries.

Mr. Forman

United Kingdom charities provided 22.3 per cent. of the income from research grants and contracts of United Kingdom universities in 1990–91. Comparable information for other countries is not available.