Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department and the Government Chief Scientific Adviser had with Departments in advance of decisions to cut departmental research budgets or expenditure since May 2010; and on what dates each such discussion took place with each such department.

Treasury Ministers and officials have regular meetings with departments in which a wide range of issues are discussed as part of the process of policy development. However we do not disclose details of confidential discussions between Ministers or advice received from civil servants.