To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list by standard region (a) the research institutes operated for, or on behalf of, his Department and the total employment thereat, (b) the total number of such institutes and the total employment therein and (c) if he will express the regional totals as a percentage of the national totals.

The Department has four research establishments as follows: the Laboratory of the Government Chemist—LGC—and the National Physical Laboratory—NPL—both based at Teddington; Warren Spring Laboratory—WL—at Stevenage; and the National Engineering Laboratory—NEL—at East Kilbride. Each of the establishments has been established as an executive agency.The details requested are as follows: