HC Deb 25 February 2002 vol 380 c1049W
Mr. Salmond

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown, for each nation and region of the UK, of Government investment in research and development since 1995. [36412]

Ruth Kelly

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Alex Salmond, dated 25 February 2002: As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question on Government investment in research and development since 1995. (36412) The Office for National Statistics (ONS) conducts an annual survey of UK Government Department's research and development (R&D) expenditure, from which the amount of (R&D) performed within Government establishments is available at Government Office Region (GOR) level. Figures for 1995 to 1999, by nation and GOR, can be found in the ONS publication Regional Trends, Chapter 13.9 as follows:

  • 1995 Regional Trends 32, 1997
  • 1996 Regional Trends 33, 1998
  • 1997 Regional Trends 34, 1999
  • 1998 Regional Trends 35, 2000
  • 1999 Regional Trends 36, 2001.
This information can also be found at the following web address: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme—compendia/regionaltrends—2001/rt36.pdf. Government funding into business enterprise R&D expenditure at GOR level is available from the annual survey of UK Business Enterprise R&D survey. Figures for the years 1995 to 2000 are shown in the attached table. Data for Government investment in other sectors of the economy (Higher Education and the Private Non-Profit sectors) are not available at a regional level. Total UK Government funding of R&D can be found in the ONS Gross Domestic Expenditure on Research and Development First Release published in March every year. The latest available data relates to 1999, however no regional breakdown is available. This publication can be found at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/press—release/Archive.asp.

Government research and development funding to UK businesses by Government Office Region: 1995 to 2000
£ million
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
England 866 765 844 1,004 1,081 939
North East 5 5 2 3 5 2
North West 77 78 61 87 102 94
Yorkshire and Humberside 21 18 11 7 8 4
East Midlands 68 82 85 143 131 65
West Midlands 16 15 18 25 41 38
Eastern 174 146 214 239 256 330
London 59 60 85 91 97 111
South East 273 233 237 238 266 176
South West 173 129 129 170 177 119
Northern Ireland 12 6 6 6 5 6
Scotland 71 66 58 78 58 59
Wales 5 5 7 7 13 7
United Kingdom 953 842 915 1,094 1,157 1,011

Source:

Survey of UK Business Enterprise Research & Development, ONS