§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the President of Board of Trade what plans his Department has to develop a formal programme for nanotechnology research; and if he will make a statement. [14972]
§ Mr. Ian Taylor[holding answer 7 February 1997]: Nanotechnology is an enabling technology which may impact the advancement of a wide range of scientific and engineering disciplines and industrial sectors in the future. It is essential for each of these disciplines and sectors to be able to prioritise its own research into all enabling technologies, including nanotechnology, to best suit its own objectives. This is indicated by the conclusions of the foresight panels, over half of which identified nanotechnology-related topics as research priorities.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the(a) financing and (b) progress of nanotechnology research in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) Japan, (iii) the USA, (iv) Germany and (v) other countries; and if he will make a statement. [14970]
§ Mr. Taylor[holding answer 7 February 1997]: Two studies were conducted by the National Physical Laboratory for the DTI in 1986, and lead to the formation of the national initiative on nanotechnology, which stimulated research in the field.
The current position on nanotechnology research is concisely summarised in section 3 of the Office of Science and Technology's report "Making it in Miniature" of October 1996, which is available to Members in the Library of the House.
In the UK, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council—the major funding body in this sector—is about to review its portfolio of nanotechnology research, and will identify any actions necessary as a result.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the laboratories researching nanotechnology in the United Kingdom, and if he will make a statement. [14966]
§ Mr. Taylor[holding answer 7 February 1997]: At least 47 publicly funded institutions have received research grants which are related to nanotechnology.
Examples of major academic centres for nanotechnology research include:
Central microstructure facility at Rutherford Appleton laboratory, which is part of the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils;Nanoscale physics research laboratories at Birmingham university and at Cranfield university;Microelectronics fabrication centres at the universities of Sheffield and of Surrey;National surface science laboratory at Sheffield Hallam university;Nanoelectronics research centre at university of Glasgow;IRC in semiconductor materials at Imperial college of Science, Technology and Medicine;IRC in surface science at Liverpool university;Self-organising molecular systems research at Leeds university;34WSemiconductors growth research centre at Nottingham university;Microelectronics centre at Southampton university.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the possible effects of exclusion of nanotechnology from the United Kingdom foresight project; and if he will make a statement. [14971]
§ Mr. Taylor[holding answer 7 February 1997]: It is incorrect to say that nanotechnology has been excluded from the United Kingdom foresight programme. Several generic priorities relevant to nanotechnology have been identified under foresight with more than half of the foresight panels identifying subjects which fall under nanotechnology-related topics as research priorities.
§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) under what circumstances his Department provides grants for laboratories undertaking nanotechnology research; how much his Department has awarded in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement; [14967]
(2) if he will estimate his Department's budget for nanotechnology research in each of the last five years and the projected figure for the forthcoming year; and if he will make a statement. [14968]
§ Mr. Taylor[holding answers 7 February 1997]: Grants for nanotechnology research are available through the normal research grant system administered by the research councils; through foresight challenge; and through relevant Link programmes.
Funding is dependent on scientific quality, as judged by peer review mechanisms.
The total value of departmental funding for nanotechnology-related research over the last five years is in excess of £135 million. The major component of this is from the EPSRC as shown:
EPSRC: value of research grants Starting in each year £ million 1992–93 12.9 1993–94 33.1 1994–95 40.8 1995–96 19.9 1996–97 22.5