asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to their Answer of 16th April 1996 (
WA64), what are the disproportionate costs that might be incurred in providing information about expenditure on polar research (other than under the auspices of the Natural Environment Research Council) and whether the establishment of an inventory of all British Arctic research activities and expenditure, including that undertaken with EU and non-United Kingdom bodies and in the public, academic and commercial sectors, might, if made publicly available, lead to wider appreciation and recognition, particularly among Arctic States, of the United Kingdom's contribution to Arctic affairs.
Pursuant to the Answer I gave my noble friend on 16 April 1996, col. WA64, the cost of isolating and assembling the data he requested in order to provide a complete picture across Government departments and agencies would have significantly exceeded £450.The establishment of an inventory such as my noble friend suggests might indeed have the effect which he anticipates, but the Government consider that the cost of creating and maintaining it would exceed the benefit.