HC Deb 15 February 1966 vol 724 c1089
11. Mr. Atkinson

asked the Minister of Technology what progress has been made with the mono-wheel-drive tractor initiated by the National Institute of Agricultural Engineers; and what discussions have taken place concerning its commercial exploitation.

Mr. Marsh

Discussions are now in progress between the National Research Development Corporation and a commercial firm for the licensing of this invention for production. The first stage however will probably be the production of prototypes for trials under the auspices of the Ministry of Overseas Development.

Mr. Atkinson

I congratulate my hon. Friend on that first-class reply. Is he aware that this is one of the outstanding illustrations of what the Labour Party promised in their manifesto, in which it was stated that a Labour Government would make provision for and use their resources on developing ideas of this kind? Would my hon. Friend look into the possibility of exhibiting this at the Leipzig Spring Fair?

Mr. Hogg

Would it not save the time of the House, when the object of a supplementary question from an hon. Gentleman opposite is simply to congratulate the Government, for him simply to say, "Supplementary No. 1"?