HL Deb 23 May 1995 vol 564 cc53-5WA
Lord Gainford

asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they expect to publish the 1995 Forward Look of Government Funded Science, Engineering and Technology and the Report of the Technology Foresight Steering Group.

The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Earl Howe)

My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has today published the report of the Technology Foresight Steering Group and the 1995 Forward Look of Government Funded Science, Engineering and Technology. Copies of both reports are being placed in the Library and summaries are available from the Printed Paper Office.

The report on Technology Foresight is from an independent steering group chaired by the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir William Stewart. We are grateful to Sir William and his colleagues for their report. This builds on those of the 15 Technology Foresight sector panels, all of which have already been published by the Office of Public Service and Science. They have been widely welcomed. The steering group report provides an overarching assessment of the broad areas of science, engineering and technology that will help the UK capture national and global markets over the next 10–20 years. The report also makes recommendations concerning basic research, skills, finance and regulation.

The Government will respond vigorously to the steering group and panel reports. Their recommendations will inform policy and priorities in government, the research councils and universities. The Office of Public Service and Science, in partnership with DTI, will also be undertaking a major campaign to spread awareness of Foresight findings throughout industry.

The key to success will be to get industry and the science and engineering base working in partnership to address the opportunities which Foresight has identified. To stimulate this the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has today announced a "Foresight Challenge". This will be financed through an extra £40 million of public money which he will make available over the next three years, for collaborative initiatives which address Foresight priorities. The challenge will be based on existing mechanisms for industry/science base collaboration, in particular the successful LINK scheme. It will attract matching funds from industry—making £80 million of new resources. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster intends to consult the scientific and business communities about the detailed arrangements for the challenge.

Further details of the Government's plans for the next stage of the Foresight exercise are set out in the 1995 Forward Look. This report provides an up to date statement on the ways in which public funds for science, engineering and technology are being spent throughout government and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Particular emphasis is given to the ways in which government departments and the research councils are refocussing their programmes in support of wealth creation and quality of life in line with the policy objectives of the 1993 White Paper Realising our Potential.

Taking account of Technology Foresight; the Government will continue to work towards a much closer coupling between publicly-funded research and development and the wealth creating private sector, to help deliver the goals of enhanced national prosperity and quality of life.