HC Deb 13 January 1997 vol 288 cc131-8W
Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many(a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Babraham Institute as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10112]

(2) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Institute for Animal Health as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10104]

(3) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Institute of Arable Crops Research as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10044]

(4) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Institute of Food Research as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10048]

(5) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research as representatives of UK interests; and how many of these employees are leading the UK team on their committee; [10140]

(6) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the John Innes Centre as representatives of UK interests; and how many of these employees are leading the UK team on their committee; [10136]

(7) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Roslin Institute as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10108]

(8) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Silsoe Research Institute as representatives of UK interests; and how many of these employees are leading the UK team on their committee; [10132]

(9) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Institute of Arable Crops Research; [10045]

(10) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees for the Institute for Animal Health; [10105]

(11) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Institute of Food Research; [10049]

(12) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research; [10141]

(13) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the John Innes Centre; [10137]

(14) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Roslin Institute; [10109]

(15) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Silsoe Research Institute; [10133]

(16) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Babraham Institute. [10113]

Mr. Ian Taylor

The staff at these institutes are employed by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council—BBSRC. The prior options process is designed to ensure that the interests of the United Kingdom are best served by these institutes. In most cases, membership of committees in fact reflects the professional or personal qualifications of the individual concerned. Although there are a number of questions of definition, the institutes have provided information on committee membership which is summarised in the table.

Committee membership of staff at BBSRC institutes
(a) UK (b) Europe (c) International
Babraham 2
Institute of Food Research 5 1

Committee membership of staff at BBSRC institutes
(a)UK (b)Europe (c)International
Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) 1 1 1
Silsoe Research Institute (SRI) 15 2 9

IGER has indicated that a UK and an international committee is chaired by staff. SRI has indicated that three international committees are chaired by staff.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many(a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Daresbury and Rutherford Appleton Laboratories as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the UK team on their committee. [10128]

Mr. Taylor

The prior options process is designed to ensure that the interests of the United Kingdom are best served by research establishments.

Employees of the Daresbury and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory are members of a very large and diverse range of UK, European and international bodies. The total number of such bodies is in excess of 400. This includes some 45 European bodies, and some 40 international bodies, on which members of the laboratories' staff represent UK interests. In about a quarter of these, the member of the laboratories' staff leads the UK team.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many(a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the British Geological Survey as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10100]

(2) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the British Geological Survey. [10101]

Mr. Taylor

The staff at the British Geological Survey are employed by the Natural Environment Research Council. The prior options process is designed to ensure that the interests of the United Kingdom are best served by these bodies. In most cases, membership in fact reflects the professional or personal qualifications of the individual. However, information on committee membership is set out in the attached table.

Chair Member1
United Kingdom 7 7
European 6 2
International 10 15
1 Those holding senior positions.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much has been spent to date on the prior options review of the British Geological Survey; and from which budget these sums were paid; [10098]

(2) how much has been spent to date on the prior options review of the institutes and laboratories making up the Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences; and from which budget these sums were paid. [10094]

Mr. Taylor

Work on this and other similar reviews has principally involved staff in the Natural Environment Research Council. The NERC estimates the Council's expenditure on the reviews covering the three NERC establishments: the British Geological Survey, the Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology as £0.4 million, borne by the NERC allocation from the science budget. It is not possible to quantify the costs related to the work by staff elsewhere, for example in Government Departments.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Toxicology Unit; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10027]

(2) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Radiobiology Unit; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10035]

(3) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Virology Unit; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10051]

(4) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Reproductive Biology Unit; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10031]

(5) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Dunn Nutrition Unit; and from which budget these sums will be paid. [10039]

Mr. Taylor

The reviews of these units have been completed. Any implementation costs would depend on decisions which have not yet been taken.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Roslin Institute; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10107]

(2) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10139]

(3) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Institute of Arable Crops Research; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10043]

(4) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Silsoe Research Institute; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10131]

(5) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Babraham Institute; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10111]

(6) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Institute of Food Research; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10047]

(7) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Institute for Animal Health; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10103]

(8) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the John Innes Centre; and from which budget these sums will be paid. [10135]

Mr. Taylor

The reviews of these institutes have been completed. Any implementation costs would depend on decisions which have not yet been taken.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much has been spent to date on the prior options review of the Toxicology Unit; and from which budget these sums were paid; [10026]

(2) how much has been spent to date on the prior options review of the Radiobiology Unit; and from which budget these sums were paid; [10034]

(3) how many has been spent to date on the prior options review of the Virology Unit; and from which budget these sums were paid; [10050]

(4) how much money has been spent to date on the prior options review of the Reproductive Biology Unit; and from which budget these sums were paid; [10030]

(5) how much has been spent to date on the prior options review of the Dunn Nutrition Unit; and from which budget these sums were paid. [10038]

Mr. Taylor

Work on all these reviews has principally involved existing staff in the Medical Research Council and several Government Departments. It is not possible to quantify the costs relating to individual reviews. However, the MRC considers that overall expenditure on readily identifiable specific costs were £65,000 broken down as follows:

  • MRC Head Office staff time: £38,000
  • Consultants' fee: £23,000
  • Travel: £4,000.

The overall figure specifically excludes staff time at the MRC units concerned and clerical support at head office.

These sums are paid from the MRC allocation from the science budget.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been spent to date on the prior options review of the Daresbury and Rutherford Appleton Laboratories; and from which budget these sums were paid. [10126]

Mr. Taylor

The cost of two prior options reviews of the Daresbury and Rutherford Appleton Laboratories was £36,000, excluding the cost of time spent by existing members of the laboratories' staff. The cost was met from the laboratories' running costs budget.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the Daresbury and Rutherford Appleton Laboratories; and from which budget these sums will be paid. [10127]

Mr. Taylor

The prior options reviews of the Daresbury and Rutherford Appleton Laboratories have been completed and announced, and there are no future costs to be met.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many(a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Daresbury and Rutherford Appleton Laboratories. [10129]

Mr. Taylor

The approximate numbers of committees chaired by employees of the Daresbury and Rutherford Appleton Laboratories are as follows:

  1. (a) United Kingdom: 15
  2. (b) European: 10
  3. (c) International: 5.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much has been spent to date on the prior options review of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory; and from which budget these sums were paid; [9998]

(2) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory; and from which budget these sums will be paid. [9999]

Mr. Taylor

The prior options review of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory was announced on 29 September 1995. It formed part of an interdepartmental review of the options for the future of all of Government laboratories. NWML's review was carried out by DTI staff. Costs cannot specifically be disaggregated but are estimated to have been less than £10,000. The conclusions of the review were that NWML should remain an agency. There are no costs associated with the implementation of the review's findings.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many(a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10096]

(2) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences. [10097]

Mr. Taylor

The staff at the Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences are employed by the Natural Environment Research Council. The prior options process is designed to ensure that the interests of the United Kingdom are best served by these bodies. In most cases, membership in fact reflects the professional or personal qualifications of the individual. However, information on committee membership is set out in the attached table.

Chair Member
United Kingdom 3 24
European 3 14
International 10 44

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the British Geological Survey; and from which budget these sums will be paid; [10099]

(2) what estimate he has made of the future costs of the prior options review of the institutes and laboratories making up the Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences; and from which budget these sums will be paid. [10095]

Mr. Taylor

The reviews of the three NERC establishments the British Geological Survey, the Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology have been completed. Any implementation costs will depend on decisions which has not yet been taken.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many(a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10000]

(2) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory. [10001]

Mr. Taylor

I have asked the chief executive of the NWML executive agency to reply directly to the hon. Member.

Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 13 January 1997: The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your question about employees as chairman of committees. The details are as follows:

  1. (a) 2 UK committees
  2. (b) 2 European committees
  3. (c) 1 international committee.

Letter from Mr.Seton Bennett to Mr. Adam Ingram, dated 13 January 1997: The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your question about employees as members of committees. The details for those appointed by the UK Government are:

  1. (a) 12 UK committees;
  2. (b) 8 European committees; and
  3. (c) 7 international committees.
A total of 10 employees are leading the UK teams on their respective European or international committees.

Mr. Ingram

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many(a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Dunn Nutrition Unit as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10040]

(2) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Dunn Nutrition Unit; [10041]

(3) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Toxicology Unit as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10028]

(4) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Toxicology Unit; [10029]

(5) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Virology Unit as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10052]

(6) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Virology Unit; [10053]

(7) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Radiobiology Unit as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10036]

(8) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Radiobiology Unit; [10037]

(9) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees include employees of the Reproductive Biology Unit as representatives of United Kingdom interests; and how many of these employees are leading the United Kingdom team on their committee; [10032]

(10) how many (a) United Kingdom, (b) European and (c) international committees are chaired by employees of the Reproductive Biology Unit. [10033]

Mr. Taylor

The staff at these institutes are employed by the Medical Research Council. The prior options process is designed to ensure that the interests of the United Kingdom are best served by these institutes. In most cases, membership of committees in fact reflects the professional or personal qualifications of the individual concerned. Although there are a number of questions of definition, the institute has provided information on committee membership which is summarised in the table.

Committee membership of staff at MRC units
(a) UK (b) Europe (c) International
Reproductive Biology Unit 2 1 0
Virology Unit 0 0 0
Dunn Nutrition Unit 2 1 0
Toxicology Unit 9 0 0
None of these committees are chaired by staff.
1 The Radiation and Genome Stability Unit and the Mammalian Genetics Unit were formed in a reorganization of the former Radiobiology Unit.

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