Measurement Research (Hansard, 7 December 2000)

§ Ms Hewitt

The National Measurement System (NMS) has a critical role in the UK's national industrial competitiveness. The NMS is underpinned by research programmes funded by my Department. We commissioned an independent review which concluded that the NMS research programme directly affects some 0.8 per cent. (£5 billion a year) of UK Gross Domestic Product by supporting the introduction of new measurement standards and methods. In the light of the conclusions of that review we have decided that the purpose of my Department's investment in measurement standards should beTo meet the needs of users in industry and the community by driving up measurement standards while continuing to work at the leading edge of measurement research.

There is however, more we can do to ensure that we get the best value from public expenditure in this area and we are implementing a plan of action to improve the value that investment in NMS delivers to the economy. The principal features of the action plan are to: introduce new NMS research programmes to meet the needs of emerging technologies like Biotechnology and technological developments such as internet Calibration. There will also be a new programme to improve the dissemination and exploitation of NMS results; improve the diffusion of NMS results by direct involvement of industry when NMS programmes are being drawn up and by pursuing more industrial partnership; increase the level of competitive tendering for NMS research programmes; expand the membership of the Government's existing advisory body (the Measurement Advisory Committee) to give more emphasis to the future needs of industry and to include stronger representation from new technology areas; introduce a new programme to enhance international trade and UK competitiveness overseas by improving co-ordination of our measurement system with those of other countries.

Detailed preparation of the new programmes is now under way. Technical work is scheduled to start in April 2001. In addition my Department has recently awarded contracts worth a total of £38 million for research programmes on Analytical Measurement, Time & Frequency and Electrical Measurement.

I have today placed a copy of the consultant's report in the Library of the House. The text of the report is also available on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/nmd.