Daresbury disease project costs spiral

Nov 13 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

THE ballooning cost of a pioneering Cheshire science project to treat killer diseases such as cancer was revealed today in a report by watchdog MPs.

The Energy Recovery Linac Prototype being pioneered at Daresbury Laboratory, near Warrington, is listed as "over time and budget" by the Commons public accounts committee (PAC).

Its report says the prototype – to develop a light source a trillion times brighter than a household light bulb – is forecast to cost 65% more than when it was approved in 2003.

Earlier this year, the capital cost was put at £21.3m – compared to the original "approved budget" of just £12.9m.

And the completion date was put back to the end of last month, 19 months later than the original March 2006 target date.

The fourth-generation light source (4GLS) project has excited scientists because they will be able to study molecules which currently move too fast for the highest-powered light sources.

It has been described as "like a movie, instead of pictures", because chemistry can be watched at the speed that it happens – at a sub-millioneth of a second.

Scientists hope 4GLS – likely to be available in about 20 years – will help them develop more effective drugs, as they understand chemical reactions better.

The technology also has the potential to improve electronic devices – for example, removing the need for computer hard disks to store memory.

Last year, Daresbury Laboratory fought a high-profile campaign to win a £2m government grant to complete the prototype machine.

The grant raised hopes that ministers will agree to fund a fully-fledged research facility within the next year – at a cost of around £150m.

But today's report demands greater effort to ensure the likes of Daresbury "get a better handle from the outset on the likely through-life costs of projects".