§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the budget for his Department's research and development in each of(a) the last three and (b) the next three years. [120582]
§ Mr. Nick BrownThe R&D budgets for 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000 were £140.5 million, £139.8 million and £139.3 million respectively. Our planned spend in 2000–01 and 2001–02 is £118 million and £120.9 million, reflecting the transfer of some £21 million to the Food Standards Agency, on 1 April 2000, to cover R&D on food science matters now within their responsibilities. These figures include a proportion of the Department's grant aid to Kew, research initiated by the Department's Economics Division, and the costs of administering the research budget. The budget for 2002–03 is subject to the Government's current spending review.
§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much funding for knowledge transfer is provided from his Department's research budgets in each of the last three years; and how much will be provided in the current year and each of the next three years. [120569]
§ Mr. Nick BrownThere are no separate budgets. However, knowledge transfer is an integral part of the role played by R&D carried out by MAFF both to inform and underpin policy-making and the Department's regulatory responsibilities; and to assist the farming, food and fisheries industries in accordance with MAFF's aim and objectives.