London, 8 August 2006

A further £2m for constructing and testing out a prototype particle accelerator facility at the Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire, to be the world's first, will help assure the North West of England's place on the international science map, Science and Innovation Minister Lord Sainsbury said today.

This additional funding for the Energy Recovery Linac Prototype (ERLP) will help prove concepts vital to the development of plans for 4GLS technology (Fourth Generation Light Source), at science's cutting edge.

4GLS will be designed to produce very short pulses of light, over a million, million, million times brighter than a household light bulb and could allow researchers to study molecules working in real time, follow chemical reactions as they happen, look at potential drug molecules as they interact with cells and examine the spin of electrons.

Lord Sainsbury said: "The prototype phase of 4GLS is an important step towards placing Daresbury at the cutting edge of accelerator science. Its potential capability is unique in the world and its capacity to combine a wide range of experiments would establish the UK and Daresbury as a major player in this technology.

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"It also demonstrates our commitment to the wider development of the Daresbury site."

The Government-funded Laboratory at Daresbury is run by the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC). CCLRC Chief

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Executive Professor John Wood said: "I am delighted that the Energy Recovery Linac Prototype has attracted this extra funding. It will enable us to fully test out the theories which underpin the operation of the proposed Fourth Generation Light Source and enable the UK to remain at the leading edge of scientific research."

Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) Chief Executive Steven Broomhead said: "The Northwest is at the forefront of 4GLS development both nationally and internationally and the Agency is pleased to welcome this additional funding, which will be vital in progressing plans to make Daresbury International Science and Technology Park home to this cutting-edge, unique facility. The NWDA is working hard to build on the Northwest's reputation as a centre of excellence for scientific research and development and we are investing over £50 million into Daresbury to maintain the region's position as world leader in this area."

The investment is part of the Government's commitment to make the UK one of the most attractive location in the world for research.

Notes to Editors

1. Today's £2m supplements £14.8 million already provided for this prototype phase; £8million through the Office of Science and Technology (now Office of Science and Innovation) and £6.8 million through the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC), which oversees Daresbury.

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2. The Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) is one of eight UK research councils and is one of Europe's largest multidisciplinary research organisations, supporting scientists and engineers across the world. It operates world-class, large-scale research facilities, provides strategic advice to the Government on their development and manages international research projects in support of a broad cross-section of the UK research community.

3. The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), through its North West Science Fund, recently awarded a £2.9m grant to Daresbury and the Universities of Manchester and Liverpool, for world-first ERLP experimentation, to provide further support for the planned case for 4GLS.

4. NWDA have also invested additional sums in excess of £50 million in order to assist the formation and ongoing development of the new Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus. This investment has already generated the very successful new Daresbury Innovation Centre, already home to 22 new ultra-high technology companies.

5. A decision on the full 4GLS might be expected within 18 months to two years. More information is available at:

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News release P/2006/184

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