§ Lord Gainfordasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the distribution of the Science Budget in 1995–96.
The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)My right honourable Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Director General of Research Councils have discussed the allocations and have128WA decided that, subject to parliamentary approval of the Supply Estimates in due course, the Science Budget of £1,281.675 million should be allocated as follows:
Allocations for 1995–96 £ million Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council 161.631 Economic and Social Research Council 61,232 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council 365,702 Medical Research Council 277.809 Natural Environment Research Council 155,483 Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council 196,367 Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils 1,500 Additional Funding for LINK schemes (to be allocated to Research Councils in due course 3,000 Royal Society 20,876 Royal Academy of Engineering 2,617 OST initiatives 2,250 Research Council's Pension Scheme 33,298 Total 1,281.675 In making these allocations, my right honourable friend needs to ensure that momentum is maintained with implementing the Science, Engineering and Technology White Paper Realising Our Potential. He has, therefore, decided that some 5 per cent. of the Science Budget should be targeted to priority initiatives aimed specifically at taking White Paper issues forward. Further details are set out in the paper Allocation of the Science Budget 1995–96, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.