Public Expenditure: Investment in Science

Lord Jenkin of Roding Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd December 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Wilcox]

As I have already said, a large proportion has been protected in a ring-fence, and two of the biggest spending departments outside BIS, the Department of Health and the Ministry of Defence, are maintaining or increasing their research budgets. Other government departments have not yet decided their research budgets; for them, this question is a little premature. We will have to look at other areas such as capital funding, as we know, and no doubt I shall answer questions on them in a moment. They have been very well provided for over the past few years, and I am afraid that capital funding will have to wait until we get front-line science where it should be, in front of the rest of the world.

[Lord Jenkin of Roding]

My Lords, I welcome my noble friend’s response on the Haldane principle, the restatement of which is a welcome clarification.

On capital spending, I applaud the continued investment in Diamond Light Source in Oxfordshire and the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation in London. They are hugely important projects.

Mr Willetts’ statement refers to further decisions on capital projects of strategic importance. When can we expect those further decisions? They may be very important indeed.

[Baroness Wilcox]

I thank my noble friend for his support and encouragement. Of course, the Haldane principle, which is already established, is very important to us.

On the announcements by my right honourable friend in another place, which he hopes and predicts he will be able to make, unfortunately I can say nothing about them at this stage. Like my noble friend, however, I hope that these investments will go ahead.