Joides Planning Office And University Of Wales, College Of Cardiff

EDM number 1755 in 1992-93, proposed by Rhodri Morgan on 01/04/1993.

That this House warmly congratulates University of Wales, College of Cardiff, in attracting against strong Canadian competition the first JOIDES International Planning Office outside the United States of America; believes that its establishment under the joint direction of Professor Rob Kidd of the Geology Department at the University and Professor Jim Briden of the Natural Environment Research Council, Swindon, will strengthen the international collaborative research effort in geophysics, oceanography and marine geology with maximum priority being given to vital investigations into research on climate change and global warming; believes that other Welsh centres of excellence in marine science at Aberystwyth and Bangor will also benefit from the spin-off, as will all British research centres in this field; and recommends that the NERC should now urgently re-examine its previous decision to close down the Research Vessel Service base at Barry Docks, South Glamorgan, in the light of the JOIDES decision, since the 20 years of outstanding service to oceanographic research by the Barry RVS base, only 10 miles from Cardiff, would make it the ideal servicing centre for the 'JOIDES Resolution' ocean drilling vessel alongside the 'Darwin', 'Challenger' and 'Discovery'.

This motion has been signed by a total of 21 MPs.