Science Project Funding

Mrs. Ellman
23. To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for high level science projects involving Liverpool University and Daresbury Laboratory; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson
The Science Budget allocations for CSR07, which were presented on the 11 December 2007, showed an average real terms increase for science of 2.7 per cent. per annum rising from £3,382 million in 2007/08 to £3,970 million in 2010/11. Over 85 per cent. of this budget is provided as funding to the research councils. The councils themselves decide within their respective budget allocations how much of their funding they spend on each of their programmes, and that determines which universities benefit from their expenditure. As announced in Budget 2006, the Government have designated the Science and Technology Facility Council’s Daresbury Laboratory as a Science and Innovation Campus. The broader strategic role for Daresbury and its importance to the North West and its relationship with NW universities will be addressed as part of the Manchester Independent Economic Review to be chaired by Sir Tom McKillop which will specifically include Daresbury’s contribution to the NW’s scientific and economic base. The Government remain fully committed to developing Daresbury as a Science and Innovation Campus.