HC Deb 31 July 1998 vol 317 cc764-5W
Mr. Singh

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment the Government have taken on the previous Administration's Prior Options reviews of the public sector research establishments. [52149]

Mr. Battle

During December 1996 the previous Administration completed "prior options" reviews of 38 Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs), the results of which were announced in January 1997. The outcome for the majority of the establishments was retention in the public sector.

Over the last few months, I and my Ministerial colleagues have been considering our joint approach to the specific outcomes of these reviews. The majority of these proposed a range of measures to ensure the establishments were managed as effectively and efficiently as possible, most of which are already being implemented. The Government have concluded that the implementation of these measures should continue, since they improve value-for-money and the provision of high quality services. This was taken forward in the context of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review.

The following PSREs were involved in the reviews:

  • National Weights and Measures Laboratory
  • Central Laboratory for the Research Councils
  • Babraham Institute
  • Institute for Animal Health
  • Institute of Arable Crops Research
  • Institute of Food Research
  • Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research
  • John Innes Centre
  • Roslin Institute
  • Silsoe Research Institute
  • British Geological Survey
    • 765
  • Centre for Coastal and Marine Science
  • Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
  • Dunn Nutrition Unit
  • Radiobiological Mechanisms Unit1
  • Radiobiological Biology Unit
  • Toxicology Unit
  • Virology Unit2
  • Central Science Laboratory
  • Directorate of Fisheries Research3
  • Horticulture Research International
  • Veterinary Laboratories Agency
  • Health and Safety Laboratory
  • National Institute of Biological Standards and Control
  • National Radiological Protection Board
  • Public Health Laboratory Service
  • Police Scientific Development Branch
  • Fisheries Research Services
  • Forestry Commission Research Division
  • Hannah Research Institute
  • Macaulay Land Use Research Institute
  • Moredun Research Institute
  • Rowett Research Institute
  • Scottish Agriculture Science Agency
  • Scottish Crop Research Institute
    1. 1 Comprising the former Mammalian Genetics Unit and the Radiation and Genome Stability Unit
    2. 2 Under the previous Administration, it was agreed to transfer the Virology Unit to the University of Glasgow. However, it has since been decided not to transfer the Unit, since the complex practical issues flagged in the original announcement have proved insurmountable, and the benefits are uncertain. Closer scientific links will be pursued in other ways. Staff at the Institute have already been informed
    3. 3 Now named the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science.

We shall examine opportunities for commercial exploitation of research ideas originating in these establishments.

ADAS and the Building Research Establishment were privatised by the previous Administration.

Back to