§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of investment in defence research and development in each of the last five years; and what proposals he has to increase defence research and development expenditure. [17378]
§ Mr. FreemanThe trend in expenditure on defence research and development is set out in the annual publications "Defence Statistics" and "Forward Look of Government-funded Science, Engineering and Technology". As the 1993 White Paper "Realising Our Potential" noted, direct expenditure on defence research and development is planned to fall somewhat over the remainder of the decade, though this will be offset to a considerable extent by efficiencies arising out of "Front Line First", including through the formation of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency on 1 April.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the total amount spent by his Department on research and development in each of the last 10 years at today's prices. [17542]
§ Mr. FreemanThe figures, based on table 1.4 of "Defence Statistics 1994" are as follows:
966W
Year Total amount (£ million) 1983–84 3,293.5 1984–85 3,452.3
Year Total amount (£ million) 1985–86 3,521.6 1986–87 3,297.8 1987–88 3,088.1 1988–89 2,850.1 1989–90 2,888.7 1990–91 2,715.0 1991–92 2,795.0 1992–931 2,142.4 1993–942 2,317.4 All figures £ million, VAT inclusive and are at 1994–95 prices. 1 Figures from 1992–93 onward subject to revision to accord with Frascati definitions. Futher details in Table 1.4 of "Defence Statistics 1994". 2 Provisional estimate only.
§ Dr David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy towards defence research and development collaboration with European partners; and if the percentage of this collaboration will increase over the next 10 years. [17544]
§ Mr. FreemanMy Department participates in a large number of international research collaboration programmes both bilateral and multilateral. The primary objective of IRC is to obtain value for money by sharing the costs of necessary research programmes and facilities with allied nations. The overall strategy is to maintain a balance between our involvement with Europe and the US. While every endeavour will be made to increase the amount of defence research undertaken on a collaborative basis, there is no policy intention to change this balance. We have had considerable experience of collaborative development and in the future expect that the opportunities for collaboration of reducing cost will be further exploited.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of defence research and development was spent on collaboration with(a) the United States of America and (b) European Union members in each of the last 10 years. [17543]
§ Mr. FreemanThe primary objective of international research collaboration is to obtain value for money by sharing the costs of necessary research programmes and facilities with allied nations. The information requested concerning the proportion of defence research that was carried out collaboratively over the last 10 years, is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, for financial year 1991–92 and 1992–93 the figures for collaborative research joint programmes are 5.5 per cent. and 6 per cent. respectively, and I anticipate this ratio continuing to rise in the future.
No equivalent figures are held relating to development expenditure.