HC Deb 15 June 1967 vol 748 cc763-5
29. Mr. Lubbock

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to the proposed 300 GEV accelerator for C.E.R.N.

Mr. Crosland

On its present time table, the C.E.R.N. Council will reach decisions about the 300 GEV project in December. Her Majesty's Government will be fully ready then to take a policy decision in the light of the advice received from the S.R.C. and the C.S.P.

Mr. Lubbock

Is the Secretary of State aware that our attitude to this project, which has hitherto been thoroughly noncommittal, might be instrumental in persuading other nations to participate? Would not he agree that the consequences of failure to reach a conclusion on the project would lead to the wasteful proliferation of small national accelerators and a vast increase in the number of nuclear physicists emigrating to the United States?

Mr. Crosland

I take the hon. Gentleman's point, but I must make it clear that no Government have yet come to a firm decision on this project. It would be very difficult to do so until we are much clearer than we are about what may be proposed in terms of cost, location, the allocation of costs and many other factors.

Dr. Owen

Is my hon. Friend aware that, while no British Government may have come to a firm conclusion, the French Government have welcomed the proposal, and there is a danger that the British Government may be seen to be dragging its feet once more in European collaboration in science?

Mr. Crosland

I do not think that that is a view which could be or is taken any- where in Europe. Apart from anything else, the opposite is demonstrated by the attention which we are giving to investigating a possible site for this accelerator.

Mr. Hogg

I recognise the great importance of this project, but could the right hon. Gentleman give us some idea of the cost bracket which is contemplated for this machine? The C.E.R.N. consortium may shortly prove not sufficiently wide to bear the increasing cost of accelerators.

Mr. Crosland

I should not like to give a definite figure, but the cost is very high indeed. What the right hon. and learned Gentleman said in the second part of his supplementary question is relevant, but until we have more definite proposals from the C.E.R.N. Council the Government would be very foolish and imprudent to come to a definite decision.

33. Sir H. Legge-Bourke

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement about the possibility of siting in East Anglia the proposed new accelerator planned by C.E.R.N.

Mr. Crosland

This possibility depends on decisions due to be taken by the Council of C.E.R.N. in December. The site in East Anglia offered by Her Majesty's Government is still under consideration, together with eight sites in other countries.

Sir H. Legge-Bourke

While I realise that much must depend on the decisions in December, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the Science Research Council is working closely with the Regional Economic Planning Council to make sure that the necessary facilities would be available were this site to be chosen?

Mr. Crosland

I should like to look into the point about the Regional Economic Planning Council and write to the hon. Gentleman. But the Science Research Council, in co-operation with a number of other bodies, is doing a great deal of work on the possibilities of this site.

Mr. Hogg

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that, as we are certainly the third scientific Power of the world, we have not so far had our fair share in the allocation of sites for international research bodies? Will he constantly press the view that our co-operation must depend to some extent on having a fair crack of the whip?

Mr. Crosland

I would agree with the right hon. Gentleman. This is one of the reasons why, until we know the decision about a site, and other factors, we cannot take a final view on the project.

In answer to a previous Question, I have discovered that the approximate cost on present calculations of the whole project is something over £200 million.