HC Deb 08 February 1993 vol 218 cc407-8W
Mr. Dafis

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of the total identifiable expenditure(a) of all and (b) of each of the research councils (i) has been spent in England and in Wales in each of the last five years and (ii) is intended to be spent in England and Wales in 1993–94.

Mr. Robert Jackson

In 1991–92 the research councils collectively spent approximately 72 per cent. of their grant in aid in England, and approximately 4 per cent. in Wales. The respective percentage figures for the individual Research Councils were as follows:

Per cent.
Agricultural and Food Research Council 84 and 7
Economic and Social Research Council 81 and 2
Medical Research Council 82 and 1
Natural Environment Research Council 75 and 15
Science and Engineering Research Council 67 and 2

Figures for earlier and subsequent years are not available.

Mr. Dafis

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what procedures are employed in the selection of members of(a) research councils, (b) the boards of research councils and (c) the funding committees of research councils; and what independent mechanism within his Department exists to ensure the fairness of the process and the distribution of members among the various institutions active in each field of research;

(2) what procedures are employed to ensure that membership of research councils, the boards of those councils and the funding committees of those councils does not give any undue advantage in the allocation of funds to institutions to which the members belong.

Mr. Robert Jackson

Members of the research councils are appointed after wide consultation with interested Departments and the councils themselves. The Government aim to secure an appropriate balance of academic and industrial expertise and experience.

The composition of their committees is a matter for the councils themselves, as is the allocation of funds to institutions. Each council operates a system of peer review, aimed at securing the highest scientific quality in competition for the funds available.