MP disappointed at environment lab closure announcement

1.39.40pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 15th Mar 2006

Oxford West and Abingdon MP Dr Evan Harris today expressed his disappointment at the announcement by NERC of their intention to close the Oxford Centre for Ecology and Hydrology as part of a plan to make deep cuts in the budget for the network of eight such sites within CEH.

"I have expressed my concerns about the plans to the Chief Executive of NERC in person twice as well as the Science minister, David Sainsbury, on two occasions"

"It is not clear to me that the decision has been made fairly, or that it will possible to safeguard the excellent science being done at the Oxford site, even if most of the staff are offered jobs at the Wallingford site.

"I am asking that the Science and Technology Select Committee look into this issue in more detail, because we cannot afford to lose top-class science in this field or the scientists themselves."

The NERC press release announcing these closures is available from: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/publications/latestpressrelease/2006-13ceh.asp