Research

Dr. Iddon
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the possible effect on the science research base of the recent decision to reduce the Science Research Council’s budget.

Malcolm Wicks
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cambridge (David Howarth) on 2 March 2007, Official Report, column 1602.

Dr. Iddon
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what method he used to determine the proportion of the recent overall reduction in the Science Research Council’s budget which would be borne by each of the research councils.

Malcolm Wicks
In calculating the distribution of the EYF reductions between the eight research councils, we examined the predicted EYF balances for each council and their allocations for 2007-08, and then we determined the amount of the reductions so as to minimise the overall impact on the research objectives reflected in the Department’s PSA objective.