INSTITUTE FOR GRASSLAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH

Early day motion 1864, tabled 21 March 2006 by Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 24 members.

That this House salutes the importance of the vision of the Institute for Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) in its work to develop economically viable and sustainable dairy and beef systems based on high forage diets, minimising the impact of livestock farming systems on the environment, protecting and enhancing biodiversity, and helping to contribute important health benefits to the United Kingdom consumer; pays tribute also to the work of IGER in researching the potential of crops for energy, and recognises the significant contribution that manipulating animal diets and obtaining energy from biomass could make to reducing methane and carbon dioxide emissions; is therefore concerned to learn that 40 posts could soon be cut at the IGER which will have a significant impact on the ability of IGER to deliver much needed environmental research across the entire grassland-based, land-use sector; and calls on the Government to reconsider its decision to withdraw funding from IGER leaving a £2 million shortfall for the financial year 2006-07.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 10, Labour 9, Conservative 2, DUP 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.