§ 26. Mr. Wingfield Digbyasked the Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science whether a directive will be issued on the terms on which the Atomic Energy Authority should undertake work for the Central Electricity Generating Board.
§ The Lord President of the Council and Minister for Science (Mr. Quintin Hogg)This is a matter for negotiation between the parties. Should differences arise, it will be for the Government to make decisions.
§ Mr. DigbyIs my right hon. Friend aware that although I cannot regard this as an entirely satisfactory Answer—[Interruption.]—as 90 per cent. of the work done by the Authority is for the Board, those of us who served with him in the House before are delighted to welcome him back again, and so are many others?
§ Mr. HoggI should like to thank my hon. Friend for his extremely satisfactory supplementary question.
§ Mr. CrossmanMay I add our verbal congratulations to the Minister on his return, and also on his following the example set by my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, South-East (Mr. Benn) in getting back here in the right way? Is the right hon. Gentleman quite sure that the relations between the Atomic Energy Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board are quite all they should be?
§ Mr. HoggI should like to thank the hon. Gentleman in particular for his courteous supplementary question and welcome. I would only say that nothing is ever quite all that it should be.