§ 14. Mr. Andy KingTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the average annual increase in total Government spending on science over the last 20 years. [61310]
§ Mr. BattleInformation before 1986–87 is not available in the terms requested. The average real terms annual change in total Government spending on Science Engineering and Technology over the 12-year period 1986–87 to 1997–98 was a decrease of £128 million at 1997–98 prices. This excludes National Health Service SET expenditure for which information has been available only since 1995–96.