§ 18. Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to urge the European Space Research Organisation to set up an establishment such as an International Radio Astronomy Institute in Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. PrenticeNone, Sir. E.S.R.O. does not at present contemplate the setting up of further establishments. Ground based radio astronomy is not within the purposes laid down for E.S.R.O. in its Convention.
§ Mr. MartenAs this country is the main contributor to the European Space Research Organisation and as most of the other main industrial countries in Europe have got E.S.R.O. institutes, have the Government taken no steps to try to get an institute of this nature for radio astronomy in this country?
§ Mr. PrenticeThe allocation of institutions was settled in 1962. At that time the Government made bids for an institution in this country but were unsuccessful in obtaining one.
§ Mr. HoggAre not the Government worried by the paucity of international institutes in this country? Is it not a fact that there are about 100 international institutes in the neighbourhood of Paris and is it not time that we got a few?
§ Mr. PrenticeYes, I have great sympathy with that view, but I must point out that the matter was decided in 1962 and, if one is talking of Government responsibility for this failure, the responsibility lies with the Government who were in power at the time.