§ Q2. Mr. Lubbockasked the Prime Minister if he will take steps to coordinate the work of the Board of Trade and the Ministry of Technology in the administration of investment grants with a view to eliminating anomalies in their payment, and to speeding up the application of computers.
§ The Prime MinisterMy right hon. Friends already work closely together on these matters.
§ Mr. LubbockIs the Prime Minister aware that the Computer Service Bureaux Association has been engaged in correspondence and meetings with the Board of Trade ever since last May, with little result? Will he consider bringing in his right hon. Friend the Minister of Technology, since he is more likely to be sympathetic to the real points that it has put forward?
§ The Prime MinisterThere is no doubt that the British computer industry, which faced annihilation four years ago, is now in a much stronger position. Now that we have granted investment grants in 1166 respect of computers for the first time, which I think will be welcomed, inevitably there will be anomalies. It is on the anomalies that the Bureau and the hon. Gentleman are seizing. However, he will recognise the need to draw a line somewhere, and I would have felt that some of his proposals ought to fall outside that line.
§ Mr. Hector HughesApart from the co-ordination of the industries mentioned in the hon. Gentleman's Question, will my right hon. Friend at least take steps to co-ordinate the investment grants in such a way as to even out trade, industry and commerce in Scotland, which is very unequal at the moment?
§ The Prime MinisterNo, Sir. I would not agree to deal with investment grants in such a way as to even them out. Scotland gets more favourable investment grants than the rest of the country, and I intend it to stay that way.