To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the actual or estimated staffing levels for each category of staff employed at the National Engineering Laboratory, East Kilbride, for the period 1979 to 1990 inclusive.
The staffing levels of industrial and non-industrial staff at the National Engineering Laboratory on 1 April for the years 1979 to 1988 were:
| Industrials | Non-industrials | Total | |
| 1979 | 294 | 531 | 825 |
| 1980 | 267 | 523 | 790 |
| 1981 | 246 | 495 | 741 |
| 1982 | 237½ | 468½ | 706 |
| 1983 | 226½ | 456½ | 683 |
| 1984 | 193 | 458½ | 651½ |
| 1985 | 185 | 461 | 646 |
| 1986 | 186 | 448 | 634 |
| 1987 | 168 | 463 | 631 |
| 1988 | 156 | 472 | 628 |
The projected level for 1989 and 1990 is a total of 620 staff.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from which firm his Department commissioned a study into the future of the Government-run research establishments, including the National Engineering Laboratory; and on what date it was submitted to his Department.
No such study has been commissioned by my Department.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster under what authority he proposes to effect the sale of the National Engineering Laboratory at East Kilbride; and if he will make a statement.
The National Engineering Laboratory is a division of the Department of Trade and Industry. Its transfer will be effected under the prerogative power to determine the organisation of the Department which is exercised as Secretary of State by my right hon. and noble Friend.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he will give details and dates in the last 12 months of discussions his Department has had with representatives of (a) the British Hydromechanics Research Association and (b) the Production Engineering Research Association on the future of the National Engineering Laboratory;
(2) on what date the British Hydromechanics Research Association lodged an interest with his Department in an optics paper drawn up by the firm of Cooper and Lybrand on the future of the National Engineering Laboratory; and if he will make a statement.
The British Hydromechanics Research Association and the Production Engineering Research Association independently approached the Department to express an interest in the National Engineering Laboratory during the course of the review of the research establishments. Following normal practice, details are commercially confidential. The BHRA subsequently sent the Department a paper giving its views on the future development of NEL.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the British Hydromechanics Research Association was notified of the Government's intention to sell off the National Engineering Laboratory in advance of the public announcement in the answer of 7 June, Official Report, columns 431–32.
No. However, the British Hydromechanics Research Association was informed of the likely timing of an announcement because it had expressed a close interest in the future of NEL. It was given no advance information about the content of the announcement and the results of our review of research establishments.