§ 30. Mr. David Priceasked the Minister of Technology why he is not prepared to publish the programmes of current and capital expenditure for the research stations under his Department up to 1970.
§ Mr. CousinsThese figures are prepared only for departmental planning purposes.
§ Mr. PriceIs not the right hon. Gentleman being rather naughty? If his colleagues in other Departments can publish their figures for future expenditures up till 1970 in the National Plan, why cannot the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Mr. CousinsIn the sense that the hon. Member referred to me I hope that I am not being naughty. My Department is developing a series of new policies and expanding the scope of existing ones. Estimates of costs of them are necessarily very tentative. What the hon. Member says is true. The preparation of such estimates is a departmental planning exercise, and when new plans are decided, they will be made known.
§ Mr. BiffenDoes not the right hon. Gentleman agree that there might be some virtue in private industry knowing roughly 1575 what was his estimated budget and how he would distribute it between now and 1970?
§ Mr. CousinsI did not think that it was part of my function to tell private industry what my Department is doing about its estimates for planning and expenditure in the years between now and 1970.