HC Deb 23 July 1997 vol 298 cc673-4W
Mr. Miller

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement about the framework within which the Office of Science and Technology and the research councils operate. [10588]

Mr. Battle

From 1 April this year, the partnership between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Medical Research Council and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council was defined within new combined management statements and financial memoranda which set out clear and comprehensive frameworks of respective responsibilities and accountabilities. These documents combine the provisions of a management statement and a financial memorandum and replacethe resource management arrangements (RMA) introduced in 1989; the letters dated 19 May 1994 from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to the chairman of councils; the existing financial memoranda.

Copies of these documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

The Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils has operated under a combined management statement and financial memorandum since its formation on 1 April 1995. This document is currently under review and the revised version will be published in due course.