49. Viscount Hinchinģbrookeasked the Lord President of the Council whether he will set up a public relations organisation in his Department in order that industrialists and business men may be informed through the Press and by other means of the results of Government sponsored scientific research and of the extent to which his Department is able to give advice on their research problems.
§ The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Attlee)I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Before the war the public relations section of this Department carried out an active policy of informing industry and the public of the results of the Department's scientific research, through the general and technical Press, radio, films, exhibitions and lectures. While this part of the Department's work has necessarily had to be considerably reduced during the war, it will be revived as soon as circumstances permit; I can assure the hon. Member that it will form an important part of the post-war activities of the Department.
§ 50. Mr. Lipsonasked the Lord President of the Council what is the amount of the Government grant for medical research; and is it proposed to increase it.
§ Mr. AttleeThe amount of the grant-in-aid for the work of the Medical Research Council is £215,000 in the current financial year. The proposal to be submitted in the Estimates for 1944–45 is for a grant of £250,000.
§ Mr. LipsonMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he will consult the proper authorities, as to whether that amount ought not to be very much increased?
§ Mr. AttleeI am, of course, in consultation with the proper authorities.