John Purvis, Conservative MEP today welcomed the vote in the European Parliament to support the EU’s 6th Research Programme, due to start in 2003.

John Purvis said:

"The new research programme offers a range of opportunities for Scottish Universities, research establishments, businesses (in particular SMEs) and young researchers. Our scientific community, our researchers deserve our wholehearted support."

"The research work which will be financed which could lead to breakthroughs in finding cures for some of mankind's most dreaded afflictions - cancers, heart disease, diabetes, cystic fibrosis; Neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Dementia, motor-neurone disease, spinal and brain injuries; genetic intervention could eliminate hereditary diseases such as haemophilia and Huntingdon’s Chorea, which overshadow some families so tragically."

The programme defines the priority areas for research to improve our health, welfare and environment as well as supporting developments in highly innovative enterprises that are key to our competitiveness and the future of our economy. On the health side, the EU will finance research in life sciences and biotechnology and in combating major diseases such as cancer and diabetes as well as diseases which have a devastating effect particularly on the developing world – AIDS, Malaria and TB. Other major priorities for the programme from the total budget of over 17 billion Euros will be safer, healthier and environmentally friendlier food production and cleaner and more efficient energy production and consumption. Europe’s second most important sector in the economy – information and communication technologies – will be supported with the ambition of leading the world in this area.

It also offers the chance for ambitious research institutes to become one of the new Centres of Scientific Excellence and provides grants for training of young researchers.