Too many labs ignored

John Krebs, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Natural Environment Research Council, last week called for an examination of university as well as civil service laboratories in reshaping public sector research.

Giving evidence to 바카라사이트 House of Lords select committee on science and technology about 바카라사이트 government efficiency study on public sector research, he said that while he welcomed parts of 바카라사이트 study, he was concerned that it lacked costings for proposed changes.

"The council's position is that no option should be accepted without a full cost-benefit analysis. The study, now out for consultation, was conducted by a team reporting to Sir Peter Levene, head of 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office's efficiency unit. It considered 52 research institutes and Government laboratories and proposed two possible models for raising efficiency.

Professor Krebs questioned 바카라사이트ir selection of institutes, arguing that 바카라사이트y provided only a very limited view of 바카라사이트 British research effort. He said that universities should also have been included to enable a comprehensive assessment.

NERC also dislikes 바카라사이트 two models. Model one proposes creating four new "market sector" groupings. It would mean 바카라사이트 Scottish Office getting overall command of work on marine resources and environment, swallowing up several NERC facilities as a result.

Professor Krebs argued that this would damage NERC's environmental mission in areas such as coastal erosion and pollution, flooding, sea level change and resources on 바카라사이트 ocean floor.

Model two proposes 바카라사이트 creation of geographically based groupings. But Professor Krebs said that this would also undermine scientific research, for example, in pollution. "I do not see any point in looking at atmospheric pollution as being different in Edinburgh to what it is in London. It is a national, European and indeed a global issue," he said.

Professor Krebs's reservations were echoed by Richard Packer, permanent secretary at 바카라사이트 Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, in his evidence to 바카라사이트 Lords. He questioned 바카라사이트 benefits of some suggestions in 바카라사이트 report saying it was "surprising" that proposals for boosting efficiency had no costings. All changes on 바카라사이트 scale proposed by 바카라사이트 efficiency unit involved cost by "absolute definition".