§ 40. Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Prime Minister whether he will set up an inquiry to consider the advantages of expanding the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research into a Ministry of National Development.
§ Mr. ThomsonWill the Prime Minister reconsider the suggestion in the light of the remarks of his hon. Friend the Member for Halifax (Mr. Maurice Macmillan) on the utter lack of leadership by the Government? Will he descend from his Trollopian stratosphere and do something about the stagnation towards which the country is drifting?
§ The Prime MinisterNow that the hon. Gentleman has got off his supplementary question, I will ask him one in return. [HON. MEMBERS: "No."] Then I will just say this. In considering his proposal, I found it rather difficult to know whether he had included production as well as research and development.
§ Mr. ThomsonWill the Prime Minister take it that I was including production and research, the whole field of initiative in British industry in which there is such slackness now because of the lack of leadership from the Government?
§ The Prime MinisterIf that be so, it is quite clear that it is a field far too large to be covered by a single organisation such as the hon. Member suggests.
§ Mr. ShinwellNow that the Prime Minister has adopted the practice of asking questions of this side of the House, will he continue to do so? If he does, he will get the right answers.
§ The Prime MinisterI might get rather varied answers.