HC Deb 16 May 1961 vol 640 cc1102-3
39. Mr. Skeffington

asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science if he will give a breakdown, by Departments and principal items, of the figure of £42,900,000 for Government expenditure on civil research and development, excluding research councils, in 1958–59, given in Table I of the Report of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy.

Mr. Denzil Freeth

As the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Skeffington

Put in this way, a great deal of useful information is obviously being concealed from the public. Will the Parliamentary Secretary consider splitting up future Reports in a more intelligent fashion?

Mr. Freeth

If the hon. Gentleman will do me the justice of reading my reply, he might then, if he thinks fit, criticise the form in which it is given.

Following are the figures:

An analysis of the source of funds is given in Table V of the document to which the hon. Member refers, and is as follows:

Funds from £m.
Defence Departments … … 2.9
Civil Departments … … 34.7
Private Industry … … 4.5
Other Organisations … … 0.8
… … 42.9

It would not be in the public interest to give further details.