46. Mr. Dalvellasked the Minister of Technology what general policy he has for increasing the amount of civil research relevant to industry and decreasing 968 the military research in establishments such as the Royal Radar Establishment, Malvern, the Signals Research and Development Establishment, Christchurch, the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Aldermaston, the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down, the Explosives Research and Development Establishment, Waltham Abbey, the National Gas Turbine Establishment, Pyestock, and the Rocket Propulsion Establishment, Westcott.
§ Mr. FowlerThe primary purpose of these establishments is to meet the needs of defence, though some of them have particular functions in connection with civil aviation. In so far as facilities which have been provided for defence requirements are no longer needed for defence purposes, it is our policy to make them available for the benefit of industry in cases where the specialised equipment and expertise of the establishments can be of help in the civil field. It is not, however, our policy to build them up as civil research establishments or to seek civil work merely to keep them at their present size.
§ Mr. DalyellConcerning the last part of that Answer, are the Government satisfied that the results of discontinued military research are made sufficiently available to civil firms or firms involved in civil contracts. Do the Government see any possibility of improving this mechanism of transferring information?
§ Mr. FowlerWe are constantly seeking to improve the mechanism whereby the results of defence research work are made available to industry operating primarily in the civil sphere. There is close collaboration between my Department and the National Research and Development Corporation. Representatives of the Corporation have direct links with the management of the R. and D. establishments in the progressing of the industrial application of research work carried out primarily for defence purposes.
§ Mr. David PriceIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the Select Committee on Science and Technology is looking into this matter and will be reporting to the House in due course?
§ Mr. Fowlerindicated assent.