Research Councils
14th June 2011
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what recent discussions she has had with UK research councils on steps to ensure that Welsh higher education institutions receive adequate research and development funding; and if she will make a statement; (2) what recent discussions she has had with Ministers in the Welsh Government on steps to ensure that funding distributed by UK research councils is distributed appropriately within Wales; and if she will make a statement.
Mr David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), discusses a range of issues with the First Minister. The Secretary of State and I also regularly meet representatives of higher education institutions and other stakeholders to discuss a variety of issues including the importance of funding for research and development in Wales. For instance, I visited the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) in August last year to see the high quality research they carry out.
I welcome the fact that valuable assets, including IBERS, continue to receive significant funding for research from the UK research councils, and additional financial support from the UK Government and the Welsh Government as well as the European Union.
Research Councils UK is the strategic partnership of the UK's seven research councils. The distribution of research funding by research councils is judged on an individual basis and funding decisions are made on the basis of an independent, expert peer review.
The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales wrote on 3 June to the heads of the higher education institutions and the principals of directly-funded further education colleges in Wales, setting out details of research capital funding totalling over £4 million that will be provided in 2011-12 to qualifying institutions. This funding is provided in part by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills and the Welsh Government.
