To ask the President of the Board of Trade how the closure of the Royal Greenwich Observatory will affect the contracts it has agreed for telescope supply and maintenance. [7490]

The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) will take all necessary steps to fulfil its current obligations, including those which relate to the construction and maintenance of telescopes.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps she is taking to ensure that the full range of services offered by the Royal Greenwich Observatory to (a) astronomers and (b) industry, will remain available throughout the United Kingdom. [7491]

Those services which are required to support the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council's astronomy programme will continue to be provided by the Astronomy Technology Centre in Edinburgh. PPARC will be discussing with a range of interested parties the options for the future of other work currently carried out at the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the sum spent on administration at (a) the Royal Greenwich Observatory and (b) the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, in each year since 1992, in real terms. [7488]

The average salary costs to the programme of those staff undertaking finance and personnel duties at the Royal Greenwich Observatory (RGO) and Royal Observatory Edinburgh (ROE) are as follows (in real terms, at 1997–98 prices):