§ Viscount Montgomery of Alameinasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have for the restructuring of the Natural Resources Institute.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Chalker of Wallasey)Against the background of changes in the nature and level of demand for NRI's services, we have put in hand a restructuring programme. The result will be a smaller institute which focuses on NRI's interdisciplinary strengths in adaptive research and related development services. NRI management envisage an organisation of around 360 professional and administrative staff, which will mean a reduction of present staffing levels by 140. We aim to achieve the reduction in staffing by voluntary means.
The restructured institute will continue to play a major role in Britain's programme of aid for the natural resources sector in developing countries. It will do so as a supplier of services in its own right and as a manager of resources from the available science base. NRI's expertise is increasingly sought by outside clients in the development aid community. The institute will be strongly encouraged to expand this aspect of its activities.