§ Mr. IngramTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the European Commission working paper on the framework V programme. [19227]
§ Mr. Ian TaylorThe Government are pleased to see the Commission taking a radical look at the fundamentals of the fifth framework programme FP5 and we endorse its aim to deliver a more goal-directed and concentrated programme. The Government welcome the concept of key actions, which is close to the approach of targeting effort on defined goals set out in the UK position paper. The key action approach could yield a framework programme that is better focused and genuinely strategic. The Government remain concerned, however, that the Commission envisages a possible large part of the framework being devoted to general, generic and basic research activities beyond those driven by the defined key 33W actions. This would, in the Government's view, undermine, potentially significantly, the impact that can be achieved.
The Government also have a number of concerns about the underlying principles and the proposed programme and structure described in the Commission working paper. In particular, the Government do not consider that three large programmes devoted to thematic research and development will allow coherent day to day management by the Commission, or effective oversight by member states. More needs also to be done by the Commission to give the users of research a stronger voice in defining and managing the programme at a strategic level.
The Government will convey their views to the Commission at the earliest opportunity and continue to work closely with other member states in order to influence future proposals for the fifth framework programme.