To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for how many days the research vessel Prince Madog was (a) hired and (b) used by organisations other than the Natural Environment Research Council in 2008-09; and what estimate has been made of the equivalent figures for (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. (302018)

The research vessel Prince Madog is owned by a joint venture company, VT Ocean Sciences. Operational arrangements are a matter for the company.

To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what grant was made from the joint infrastructure fund to VT Ocean Sciences as a contribution towards the costs of the research vessel Prince Madog; and what such funding is expected to be provided in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11. (302019)

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) awarded one £2.8 million Joint Infrastructure Funding (JIF) grant in 1999 to contribute to the capital cost of the research vessel Prince Madog. NERC has not provided any other capital funding and there is no planned capital funding for the vessel.