1. Commander Maitlandasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many British scientists and specialist officers of the Royal Navy will be employed at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation research centre on defence against submarines shortly to be set up at La Spezia; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty (Mr. C. Ian Orr-Ewing)This centre, which is being inaugurated by SACLANT and financed, at feast for the initial period, entirely by the U.S.A., is intended to augment the scientific effort devoted by the several N.A.T.O. countries to anti-submarine warfare research. The centre will be concerned primarily with basic problems but will also undertake some operational research. The precise number of British scientists and Royal Naval officers to be employed there is still under discussion.
Commander MaitlandIn view of the fact that this country will benefit more than any other country from any successful discoveries that are made at this new base, how is it that we did not take the initiative, and can my hon. Friend assure me that we are treating this matter as seriously as we should?
§ Mr. Orr-EwingWe have our own centres for research on under-sea warfare, and I can assure my hon. Friend that we in the Admiralty are treating the matter extremely seriously. This is well illustrated by the fact that the naval 1246 adviser on the Scientific Advisory Council which will guide the work of this unit will be the Chief of the Royal Naval Scientific Service.