§ 17. Mr. F. Noel-Bakerasked the President of the Board of Trade what increase he will make in his Department's grant to the Council of Industrial Design in response to the Council's recent application; and what steps he will take to draw the attention of Government Departments, nationalised industries, hospital boards, and other large official purchasers of furnishings and equipment to the Council's facilities and services.
§ Mr. MaudlingI am not yet able to state the amount of the grant which it is proposed to make to the Council in the coming financial year. The Council has already made its services widely known and I would urge all large purchasing organisations—not only official ones—to seek its help. I think, however, that it is for the Council itself, rather than for the Government, to explain to indivdual bodies the ways in which they can best use its facilities.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerWhile I thank the President of the Board of Trade for part of that reply, may I ask him whether we can take it that he will use his influence with other Government Departments to ensure that they know that facilities are available and use them wherever appropriate? Also, in view of the need to improve design over a wide range of British manufactured products, will the right hon. Gentleman do his very best to draw to the attention of manufacturers throughout the country the excellent services provided by the Council?
§ Mr. MaudlingI entirely agree with the hon. Gentleman about the value of the work of the Council, and I am grateful to him for this opportunity of giving further publicity to the importance of having recourse to its services.