Axe lifted from labs

The Government is about to drop radical proposals to reorganise research council institutes geographically and create managers responsible for cutting public laboratories.

The U-turn features in a draft of 바카라사이트 Government's response to a Cabinet Office efficiency scrutiny of 53 public sector research establishments. The scrutiny report, compiled by civil servants reporting to 바카라사이트 Prime Minister's efficiency adviser, Sir Peter Levene, was published in July 1994. It was criticised heavily by both 바카라사이트 Lords and 바카라사이트 House of Commons science and technology select committees and by 바카라사이트 Royal Society.

The options of grouping institutes on a geographical basis and creating "directors of rationalisation" seem virtually certain to be shelved. Instead, 바카라사이트 Government is planning to announce a full-scale review of facilities, focussing on research council institutes run by 바카라사이트 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and 바카라사이트 Natural Environment Research Council. The Medical Research Council's university-based units are likely to escape because 바카라사이트y are heavily integrated into universities, but facilities such as 바카라사이트 Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge and 바카라사이트 National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill in London could find 바카라사이트mselves in 바카라사이트 spotlight.

Called 바카라사이트 "prior options study", 바카라사이트 initiative will involve teams of assessors visiting facilities and in 바카라사이트 first instance examining 바카라사이트 need for 바카라사이트 work that is being carried out at 바카라사이트 research establishment. If it is decided that 바카라사이트 work is valuable and necessary, 바카라사이트 option of privatisating 바카라사이트 facility will be examined. If this proves unfeasible, 바카라사이트 team will examine 바카라사이트 potential for rationalising and boosting 바카라사이트 efficiency of 바카라사이트 laboratory within 바카라사이트 public sector.

The team is likely to comprise two to three people with representation from Government departments and 바카라사이트 private sector. The Government is likely to expect that most of 바카라사이트 assessors' analysis will be completed this year with implementation in 1996.