Scientists get richer pickings

The Medical Research Council is the big winner in the science budgets for the next three years as the government ploughs more funds into genome research.

The increase in funding for the MRC, which will see its budget rise by 6.8 per cent in real terms by 2001-02, was announced this week by Peter Mandelson, secretary of state for trade and industry, as he revealed budgets for each of the research councils for the next three years.

This is the first time councils have been given firm allocations for three years and will allow longer-term planning.

There is an increase in real terms for each of the research councils, with only the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council's (PPARC) domestic budget staying almost stationary. However, PPARC will benefit from Pounds 11 million annual savings following the closure of the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

The higher budgets follow science's success in the comprehensive spending review, in which it secured a 15 per cent rise in real-term funding by 2001-02 - the largest percentage increase of any departmental budget.

The increase includes Pounds 300 million, matched by the Wellcome Trust, earmarked for replacing crumbling university research laboratories and equipment, and an additional Pounds 400 million to be divided among the research councils and other bodies supporting research.

The science budget for 1999/2000 will now be Pounds 1,473 million, up 7.3 per cent on this year's settlement in real terms . The budget for 2000-01 will be Pounds 1,587 million, a real-terms increase of 12.7 per cent on this year and for 2001-02 will be Pounds 1,658, up 14.8 per cent on this year.

Young researchers will benefit from the Pounds 12 million that will maintain a Pounds 1,000 annual rise in the basic PhD stipend. There will be more Royal Society university research fellowships and Dorothy Hodgkin fellowships to support outstanding young researchers.

The Royal Academy of Engineering will pilot a research fellowship for young researchers.

Announcing the allocations, science minister Lord Sainsbury said: "The overall allocation is designed to be a balanced package with particular attention to boosting postgraduate and post-doctoral training and development, plus high-priority areas, while still maintaining the underlying scientific disciplines across the sectors."

Biomolecular and biomedical research, seen as crucial if the UK is to take advantage of the decoding of the genome, information technology and the social and economic sciences are all singled out for extra cash.

The budget also includes Pounds 35 million over three years to cover the initial stages of building a new X-ray synchrotron radiation source, Pounds million for the joint research equipment initiative, and Pounds 20 million for the new university challenge fund.

Sir John Cadogan, director general of the research councils, said councils now had more flexibility, adding he was "very pleased with the outcome of the CSR".

The allocations were welcomed by Peter Cotgreave, director of Save British Science. He said: "Where there's jam for everyone, it's hard to be negative."