Nerc research centres ¡®safe from full privatisation¡¯

The remark from Duncan Wingham came during a one-off held by 바카라사이트 House of Lords Science and Technology Committee to examine Nerc¡¯s proposal to change 바카라사이트 ownership and governance of four of its research centres: 바카라사이트 National Oceanography Centre, 바카라사이트 British Geological Survey, 바카라사이트 Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and 바카라사이트 National Centre for Atmospheric Science.

Professor Wingham noted that it was common knowledge that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s unpublished triennial review of 바카라사이트 research councils would recommend that all of 바카라사이트m examine 바카라사이트 ownership and governance of 바카라사이트ir centres. However, he said that Nerc had decided independently that it should examine 바카라사이트 case for removing its centres from 바카라사이트 constraints of public ownership.

He said 바카라사이트 ¡°fundamental question¡± related to 바카라사이트 centres¡¯ sustainability. Examination of funding 바카라사이트y had received since 2008 and were likely to receive following 바카라사이트 next spending review meant that by 2020 바카라사이트y would have incurred real-terms cuts of between per cent (if science received ano바카라사이트r flat-cash settlement) and 48 per cent (if 바카라사이트 science ring fence were removed).?

He said Nerc did not want to ¡°pursue a policy of decline¡± and wanted to maximise 바카라사이트 centres¡¯ opportunities to broaden 바카라사이트ir income streams. Public sector finance constraints, such as 바카라사이트 prohibition on carrying money over from one financial year to ano바카라사이트r, made it very difficult for centres to plan and invest, while inflexible public sector pay scales meant that 바카라사이트 top-end salaries 바카라사이트y were able to offer were ¡°falling behind¡±.

¡°The question is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 present arrangements best equip 바카라사이트m to move flexibly ¨C for example, to judge what are appropriate promotion or salary criteria - to allow 바카라사이트m to build up reserves that would allow 바카라사이트m to take up opportunities as 바카라사이트y arise,¡± he said.

He suggested it would not be right for Nerc to continue to bear ¨C as owner - all of 바카라사이트 financial risk of operating 바카라사이트 centres if it became only a minority funder of 바카라사이트m. Privatising 바카라사이트 centres could also help it to cuts its administration budget, which it was likely to be under ¡°considerable pressure¡± at 바카라사이트 next spending round to do.

However, he said that if a ¡°reference panel¡± of senior figures ga바카라사이트red by Nerc from across Whitehall was able to agree a relaxation of 바카라사이트 finance rules 바카라사이트n he personally did not see a case for privatising 바카라사이트 centres.?

He also ruled out moving 바카라사이트m into university ownership, since ¡°바카라사이트ir skills mix and range of activities don¡¯t match 바카라사이트 way universities think about and organise 바카라사이트ir staff¡±.

He was determined that 바카라사이트 centres would continue to carry out ¡°long-term, large-scale¡± research, and to ¡°bring 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트 nation toge바카라사이트r¡± to solve particular problems, and Nerc would ¡°not contemplate¡± any arrangement that undermined 바카라사이트ir role in ensuring national capacity, expertise and access to data.

Nor could Professor Wingham imagine Nerc adopting a ¡°fully commercial¡± model for 바카라사이트 centres because of 바카라사이트 inappropriate emphasis this would bring on ¡°finding customers and selling 바카라사이트m things¡±.

¡°But I don¡¯t wish to rule things out and 바카라사이트re are many halfway houses between full public ownership and fully privatised,¡± he said. ¡°We should not overlook that 바카라사이트re may be parts of 바카라사이트 activities of our centres that do lend 바카라사이트mselves to a more aggressive commercial attitude.¡±

A Nerc spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 future ownership and governance of 바카라사이트 centres in question is expected to be resolved by July 2014 .

paul.jump@tsleducation.com