HC Deb 05 July 2001 vol 371 cc260-1W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what representations she has made to the University of Greenwich concerning reduction in staff at the Natural Resources Institute; and what assessment she has made of its effect on development and food production; [1689]

(2) what representations she has made to the Natural Resources Institute concerning redundancies of specialists there; [1691]

(3) what assessment she has made of the effect on agriculture and natural resource management in developing countries following the planned reduction in staff at the Natural Resources Institute. [1690]

Clare Short

It is for the University and the Institute to judge what staff they need. I understand that planned changes at NRI are designed to relate the numbers and type of staff more closely to the present day demand for research and consultancy and hence to equip NRI to contribute more effectively to development in the field of renewable natural resources.