asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will increase the allocations to the Social Science Research Council out of the total science budget.

The council's allocation for 1975–76 will, subject to Parliament's approval, amount to £8·7 million, compared with £6·8 million in the current year. This represents nearly 7 per cent. real growth, which I am satisfied is a sound judgment of the council's needs in the light of other calls on the science budget.