HC Deb 05 December 1961 vol 650 cc1118-20
11. Mr. Bence

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science how many companies contribute to the work of research associations; and what steps he is taking to encourage greater scientific and technological research by these associations.

Mr. Denzil Freeth

There are approximately 22,000 members of research associations, of whom a few belong to more than one association. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research awards grants to these associations on terms providing an incentive for expansion. Special grants may be given for extraordinary capital expenditure and also for schemes designed to accelerate the application of research.

Mr. Bence

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is a great deal of feeling that many of these research associations do not receive the co-operation of very large companies in making basic research into various processes of industry? The Report on the Long-term Demand for Scientific Manpower takes the view that the demand for scientists within private industry should be far greater than the demand of the research associations. Therefore, we may assume that the research associations will not expand at the rate at which they should because of the failure of many large industries to co-operate in basic research in these establishments.

Mr. Freeth

I would not say that the large firms were necessarily less or more co-operative than medium-sized or small firms in active membership of research associations. It is a very difficult question to go into properly at Question Time, because there is such an enormous difference between research associations themselves. To quote an example, in the wool industry 99 per cent. of research is done in the research association, whereas in the electrical industry probably only 1 per cent. is done there.

Sir H. Legge-Bourke

Would my hon. Friend agree that rather than it being a problem to get research associations to undertake research, the big problem is to get all the firms which should to take up and develop what the research associations produce?

Mr. Freeth

I agree with my hon. Friend in that. As the House is aware, the whole position of research associations is at present being reviewed by the Research Council at the request of my noble Friend.

Mr. Rankin

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that we have been hearing these Answers for a number of years now and, despite them, the total amount of research in its scientific and technological aspect in Scotland is still negligible and in some aspects it is totally non-existent? Have we now to await consideration of the Toothill Report before anything is done?

Mr. Freeth

I think that the hon. Member is being rather unfair in suggesting that the D.S.I.R. does not Rut the due proportion of its total qualified manpower into Scotland, because no less than 15 per cent. goes into Scotland, whose population is only 10 per cent. of that of Great Britain as a whole.