§ 12. Lieut.-Colonel Cordeauxasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, to what extent the Water Pollution Research Laboratory of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has investigated the treatment of electroplating wastes, particularly those containing cyanides.
§ Mr. H. NichollsFull-scale chemical treatment plant has been installed in many factories and, in addition, pilot scale experiments have shown that certain types of cyanide waste can be treated by a biological process which, in suitable conditions, may be cheaper. This has yet to be confirmed in a full scale plant.
§ Lieut.-Colonel CordeauxI thank my hon. Friend for that information, but will he ensure that this knowledge is brought to the attention of the firms concerned, so that they will not spend a lot of unnecessary money on expensive plant when something cheaper is just as good?
§ Mr. NichollsCertainly. The results obtained so far have been very widely published, and after the experiments have been confirmed greater efforts will be made to see that people who can profit from it have all the details of it.
§ Mr. Harold DaviesMay I draw the Minister's attention to the number of Questions on the Order Paper asking for research to be undertaken? Is the Minister aware of the growing tendency for 9 the taxpayer to pay for research in industry—in shipping, steel, coal, transport, and now in this type of industry? In other words, we are reaching the stage of society where we socialise the losses and "privatise" the profits. Is it not time that private enterprise did a bit?
§ Mr. NichollsIn answer to that general proposition, I would say that when private industry makes use of these research projects it makes a contribution to the cost. Usually, research is based upon the fact that industry makes a contribution equivalent to that of the taxpayers.