Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Drayson (Labour) on Monday, 14 December 2009.

Embryology

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Drayson on 3 December (WA 67), who bore the additional cost to allow the completion of the planned research if it was not borne by the Medical Research Council (MRC); and why MRC approval was a factor if no further MRC funding was involved.

Answer: The one-year extension awarded to the University of Newcastle for the project "Improving the efficiency of human somatic cell nuclear transfer" involves no additional costs. The Medical Research Council (MRC) sometimes grants extensions to the duration of research projects, at no additional cost to the MRC, to allow the completion of the planned research. Such a time-only extension is the standard mechanism employed by the MRC for allowing grants to fulfil their original objectives. An extension to the duration of a project allows the host institution to reallocate the original funding awarded by the MRC over the extended time period agreed. Formal approval is required for all proposed changes to the duration of an MRC award.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 677; 715 c177-8WA
Session: 2009-10
Related items: Embryology
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Written questions
House of Lords; Embryology
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Clones Finance Human embryo experiments Research Medical Research Council Newcastle University
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk