Public Expenditure: Investment in Science

Lord Hunt of Wirral Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd December 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Wilcox]

I am sorry, my Lords—none whatever. We are as one, as far as I am concerned.

[Lord Hunt of Wirral]

My Lords, will my noble friend accept from a former Cabinet Minister for Science and Technology how much she and her colleagues are to be congratulated on what is a strong settlement? Will she also recognise that on all sides of this House there is a positive commitment to the importance of the science budget? Can she share with us the figure for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

[Baroness Wilcox]

I thank my noble friend for that question. On how much of what we say applies to Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, I can confirm that the research council fund across the United Kingdom is without geographical bias. My department works closely with the Governments and funding bodies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to come to these decisions. It seems a fair decision, and we have had a strong settlement. I think the science community is surprised by how well we have managed to do, given that when we came in we faced real financial problems. Science is so important to this country.