Science and Technology Act 1965

1 The Research Councils

(1) The following bodies established or to be established by Royal Charter shall be Research Councils for the purposes of this Act, that is to say,—

(a) the Agricultural Research Council and the Medical Research Council; and

(b) if Her Majesty is pleased to establish such a body, each of the two bodies respectively referred to in this Act as the Science Research Council and the Natural Environment Research Council; and

(c) any other body which is established for purposes connected with scientific research and consists of persons appointed by a Minister of the Crown and which is declared by Order in Council to be established as a Research Council for purposes of this Act.

(2) The Science Research Council shall be a body established wholly or mainly for objects consisting of or comprised in the following, namely, the carrying out of scientific research, the facilitating, encouragement and support of scientific research by other bodies or persons or any description of bodies or persons and of instruction in the sciences and technology, and the dissemination of knowledge in the sciences and technology.

(3) The Natural Environment Research Council shall be a body established wholly or mainly for objects consisting of or comprised in the following, namely, the carrying out of research in the earth sciences and ecology, the facilitating, encouragement and support of such research by other bodies or persons or any description of bodies or persons and of instruction in subjects related to the Council's activities, the dissemination of knowledge in the earth sciences and ecology, the provision of advice on matters related to the Council's activities, and the establishment, maintenance and management of nature reserves.

(4) No recommendation shall be made to Her Majesty to make an Order in Council declaring a body to be a Research Council under subsection (1)(c) above unless a draft of the Order, specifying the objects or principal objects of that body, has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.