Supplementary memorandum from the Office
of Science and Innovation
THE IMPLICATIONS
OF THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE COOKSEY
REPORT ON
RESEARCH COUNCIL
INSTITUTE FUNDING
AND ACCOUNTABILITY
The Cooksey review did not consider the issue
of MRC research institutes either in terms of individual institute's
portfolios or the role, funding and accountability of institutes
in general.
OSCHR's role will be to develop high-level strategies
and monitor performance against objectives, and facilitate closer
joint working between MRC, including, where relevant, its institutes,
and NIHR. MRC will remain accountable for its institutes, and
the MRC's Chief Executive and Accounting Officer will be accountable
to the DTI Permanent Secretary.
RESPONSES TO
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
POSED BY
THE COMMITTEE
1. The effect upon MRC institutes of the
advent of the OSCHR, with particular reference to their funding
and their accountability to the OSI. What responsibility will
the OSI have for oversight of these institutes?
The majority of MRC's institutes and units will
see no change to their funding or accountability as a result of
the Cooksey Review and the establishment of OSCHR. The changes
in responsibility described in paragraph 5.68 of the Cooksey Review
may have implications for nine MRC units, which fund some health
services research, clinical trials and/or applied public health
research. Discussions regarding the proposed changes in responsibilities
are at a very early stage and it is too early to say what effect,
if any, the changes will have to the units.
OSI has no direct oversight of MRC institutes,
but will continue to monitor MRC's performance as a whole.
2. How the arrangements for supply through
the Votes laid before the House will differ for MRC (and therefore
its Institutes) from the arrangements in place for the other Research
Councils (eg whether there will be separate Votes).
There will be no change to the way MRC receives
funding from the Votes laid before the House. As with all Research
Councils, MRC will continue to receive funding from OSI in the
form of grant-in-aid through the Science Vote.
February 2007
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