§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has for a national energy research centre. [65093]
§ The Prime MinisterThe Department for Trade and Industry has lead responsibility on this issue.
The establishment of a national energy research centre was a key recommendation of the review of Government support for energy research led by the Chief Scientific Adviser last autumn. Like all the other recommendations of that review, it was incorporated into the report of the Performance and Innovation Unit's wider review of energy policy published on 14 February. The Government intend to set out their response to that report in a White Paper around the turn of the year.
In the meantime, the Research Councils are developing detailed proposals for an energy research centre in consultation with the Chief Scientific Adviser and other interested parties. These would form part of a broader proposal for sustainable energy research.