HC Deb 05 July 1966 vol 731 cc236-7
23. Mr. David Price

asked the Minister of Technology whether he will prepare and publish an annual report upon the current work of his Department and his programme of work for the future.

Mr. Benn

I have no plans to do this, but I am grateful to the hon. Member for this suggestion, which I shall consider carefully.

Mr. Price

Will the right hon. Gentleman, in considering this question, bear in mind that the responsibilities of his Department are very complex and inevitably technical and that it would be for the benefit not only of hon. and right hon. Gentlemen but of the public at large if he would follow the practice of the Department of Education and Science and produce an annual report?

Mr. Benn

As the hon. Gentleman knows, this is not the general practice for Government Departments, but I am very conscious of the considerations which he has put before me. The research stations do publish annual reports, but I shall consider this matter very carefully.

Mr. Dalyell

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there are also hon. Members on this side of the House who would welcome the publication of an annual report?

Sir C. Osborne

Before the Minister makes his annual report, would he be good enough to look into the problem of how, allegedly, the American industrial worker is able to produce two or three times per hour more than his British counterpart—[Interruption.]—and will he see what can be done, from a technological point of view, to put this right?

Mr. Benn

That is another question but it is obviously one which awaits me. My personal annual report is still 363 days away, and I shall give consideration to it.