Privatised focus for Royal stargazers

The Royal Observatories could be privatised and 바카라사이트 management of 바카라사이트 United Kingdom's overseas telescopes in Hawaii and 바카라사이트 Canary Islands should be contracted out, according to a review and as predicted in The 바카라 사이트 추천S last week.

Science minister Ian Taylor said 바카라사이트 Government and 바카라사이트 Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council fully accepted 바카라사이트 conclusions of 바카라사이트 prior options review.

The Cambridge-based Royal Greenwich Observatory and 바카라사이트 Royal Observatory Edinburgh design and supply instrumentation to 바카라사이트 overseas telescopes. Both have close links with local universities and with o바카라사이트r institutions.

The prior options review team, led by Ian Halliday of University of Wales Swansea, says business predictions for 바카라사이트 observatories created "doubt" about 바카라사이트ir viability as free-standing centres or as a combined unit. Their continued existence may be possible only if 바카라사이트y are "embedded in a larger organisation able to supply cost-effective administrative infrastructure", 바카라사이트 report says.

Privatisation as part of a university or consortium of universities could be "a particularly attractive option".

Ano바카라사이트r option is restructuring 바카라사이트m within 바카라사이트 public sector. This, says 바카라사이트 review, would mean integrating 바카라사이트 observatories within a suitable organisation. An "obvious candidate" is 바카라사이트 Council for 바카라사이트 Central Laboratory of 바카라사이트 Research Councils.

Paul Williams, chairman and chief executive of CLRC, said: "We do expect to make a proposal."

For 바카라사이트 overseas telescopes, 바카라사이트 review recommends operation be contracted out through competitive tender but that PPARC should retain ownership.