HC Deb 14 February 2002 vol 380 c530W
Helen Southworth

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will ensure that the procedure and process of peer review of the science case of the 4 GLS part of the Casim project are fair and transparent. [35462]

Ms Hewitt

The Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, on behalf of all the research councils, is handling the scientific peer review of the 4 GLS science case. To ensure that the process is fair the review is being undertaken by a panel of independent scientists nominated by the research councils. The proposal is being considered against a set of standard, agreed criteria. The reviewers' recommendations will be passed on to the Director General of the research councils, the meeting of the chief executives of the research councils and the scientists involved in the project.