Government could save animal facility
An influential backbench MP has suggested the government could step in to save the controversial construction of the animal housing facility under construction on South Parks Road.
Research by The Oxford Student suggests the University may have difficulty finding a private insurer to underwrite the project.
The doubts over the future of the project come amid reports a new contract has been awarded, and construction is due to restart within the month.
A construction source close to the University project told The Oxford Student that given the difficulties surrounding the project he "didn't see another contractor wanting to get involved unless insurance was written into the contract."
However, the Association of British Insurers have said that, given the variables involved in the project, any insurance application would be "looked on cautiously".
It's a sentiment also expressed by city insurers AXA and Zurich who confirmed that putting a price on the project would be difficult given the high risk factors involved.
Speaking to The Oxford Student, Ian Gibson, chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee says he is confident the project would go ahead within the next six months and believed the government could, "be a broker" and "put their name on the insurance" in order to avoid potential embarrassment.
The government are keen to ensure that they are not seen as weak against animal rights protestors who halted construction at the site in July last year, and forced a similar project at Cambridge University to be abandoned.
The university remain tight-lipped over the plans, refusing to comment on the specific insurance arrangements.
However a spokeswoman for the University told The Oxford Student: "We are confident that the work will continue and that the building will be completed."
Renewed suggestions that construction is about to recommence comes as animal rights group SPEAK continues its campaign to permanently halt the project.
SPEAK spokesman Robert Cogswell told The Oxford Student he believed the university was being "bullish" in their statements and that it "seemed foolish given the controversy surrounding the project that another contractor would step forward."
SPEAK plans to hold a fresh demonstration against the lab next Saturday.
20th Jan 2005