HC Deb 11 February 1971 vol 811 cc787-8
Q3. Mr. Carter

asked the Prime Minister if he will attend the next meeting of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 in his capacity as an ex-officio member, and report the Commission's progress to the House.

The Prime Minister

No, Sir. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary normally presents such reports to the House.

Mr. Carter

Is the Prime Minister aware that the Royal Commission annually awards scholarships to students to study science and engineering in industry and that many of these awards may be with Rolls-Royce? If they are, will he, as Prime Minister, address those students and tell them how, at a stroke, he destroyed their future prospects?

The Prime Minister

It needs a great deal of ingenuity to stretch a perfectly sound Question into such a ridiculous supplementary question as that. When a great British company finds it necessary to apply for the appointment of a receiver, I should not have thought that it was a matter for hilarity on the part of hon. Gentlemen opposite. One of the main purposes of the Commission is to provide scholarships for members of the old and new Commonwealth. I should have thought that it was a matter of satisfaction that, of the previous scholarship holders, 10 per cent. have become Fellows of the Royal Society and seven are Nobel Prize winners.