HC Deb 04 March 1958 vol 583 c950
21. Mr. Jennings

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, what contributions are being made by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research towards the development to automation with the object of increasing industrial productivity and commercial efficiency.

Mr. H. Nicholls

The National Physical Laboratory of the D.S.I.R. has done pioneer work in developing basic computing principles for high-speed digital computing, especially for mechanising clerical work. The Laboratory is now turning its attention to the automatic control of the flow of work in factories. Completely new principles for the automatic control of machine tools and for process control in the oil industry are being investigated.

Mr. Jennings

Have the results of all this research by the D.S.I.R. been publicised?

Mr. Nicholls

Yes. The results were publicised in a normal pamphlet and about 20,000 copies were sold. That was followed by a more popular version with pictorial support. Both of the pamphlets are still being sold readily.

Mr. H. Hynd

Do the firms which benefit from the result of this research make any contribution towards the work?

Mr. Osborne

Yes, they pay more Income Tax.

Mr. Nicholls

There is close co-operation between the D.S.I.R., which has Government support, and private industry over the whole field.