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The parent body of the N.E.R.C. is the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, a ministerial department of the Government.

Its legal status is that it is a government body.

Its funding is from the the government.

It is most certainly not an independant organisation.

Edit/ and I am most certainly NOT a denier, sceptic or such. I am simply rather dissapointed that some very poor practice by the CRU has muddied the waters greatly, handing the stage to the extremists of both sides of the debate to hang out their dirty washing in public, leaving the man on the street more confused than ever.
( RadG Drinking Mojitos in the sun, Wed 2 Dec 2009, 13:15, Reply)