§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, my honourable friend the Parliamentary Secretary in another place will give a relatively short Answer to a Question about a linear accelerator for Glasgow University, and I thought it would probably be convenient if I gave the same information in a slightly more detailed form in this House. This relates to the 100 MeV electron linear accelerator for Glasgow University.
The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has approved a total grant of about £1 million to Glasgow University for the construction and operation of a 100 MeV electron linear accelerator for Professor P. I. Dee, Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University. A grant of about £750,000 for the accelerator and its associated buildings is being offered to Glasgow University and further grants of over £300,000 will be made later for equipment and recurrent costs up to July 31, 1967. 1006 The accelerator, which will be used for an extensive programme of investigations into photo-problems in nuclear physics, will be built in the grounds of the National Engineering Laboratory at East Kilbride, near Glasgow, adjacent to the Scottish Universities' Reactor Centre. While intended primarily for Glasgow University, the accelerator will also be available for use by other universities and colleges. The Ministry of Public Building and Works will be responsible for the planning, construction and commissioning of the accelerator and its associated buildings to meet the University's requirements. Tenders can be invited immediately for the machine and later for the buildings.
§ LORD TAYLORMy Lords, may I thank the noble and learned Viscount for that statement and for its encouraging nature, particularly because I think Glasgow University was the first university in this country to have a synchrocyclotron and this makes it singularly appropriate that it should have this accelerator? There is one point about the statement to which I would refer, and that is with regard to the recurrent grants which go on until 1967. Will these cover the cost of staff, and has the noble and learned Viscount any thought about the future after 1967 and whether the cost would then fall on the University Grants Committee or continue to be the responsibility of the D.S.I.R.?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I do not think I could answer either supplementary in full, certainly not the last, without notice. Of course, these very expensive research machines have a relatively short life as first-class research machines. One would expect that it would in the end fall to part of the general university fund, but exactly at what point I do not think has been determined by anybody, and certainly not within my knowledge. Regarding the first supplementary, this is a figure which is the maximum recurrent grant allowed, which will no doubt cover the staff costs, but whether completely or in part, I am not sure.
§ LORD GREENHILLMy Lords, may I supplement what my noble friend has said? I think it is a matter for congratulation that Professor Dee's well-known efforts are being rewarded in this 1007 way. I hope that the question of money will in no way either curtail or hold back the progress that may be necessary. After all, this is an estimate, not a certain figure. Purely because of the value of the work that can be done in this very necessary kind of research, I hope the Government will see that money does not stand in the way of further development of this particular project.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, I imagine that this project will receive the same kind of treatment as other projects in the realm of nuclear physics.
LORD REAMy Lords, will the noble Viscount take it from me that it will be noted with much interest that a professor of natural philosophy needs to be electronically accelerated to the tune of £1 million?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, philosophy is a term of art in this connection: it means science.
EARL ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, may I say, as one of the speakers for another candidate when he himself was elected the Rector of Glasgow University, that I think Glasgow University can consider it has been done pretty well, and I hope it will work well? I have one thought with regard to the life of this great instrument—it is going to be short—and that is this. If the cost of replacement is going to fall upon Glasgow University, unless helped by special grants, will the Minister for Science see to it that they think about a depreciation fund and keep it up?
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMMy Lords, the life of these instruments is short, not because they stop working after that period of time but because they cease to be in the front rank of research instruments. They remain valuable, of course, as teaching machines and for other purposes; indeed research purposes, for a great deal of time beyond that. I do not know of any particular reason why they should not go on for a very long time indeed. Their short life is due to the rapid advances in nuclear science, and I do not think it would be possible to found a sinking fund for a machine of this kind.
1008 This machine fills a particular gap in the research programme. It is one of a number of other instruments placed over the country—and one abroad—which combine to form our programme of nuclear physics. All have a life, as first-class instruments, of, I should think, something between ten and fifteen years. Some of them are very expensive indeed. The Nimrod accelerator, which is a proton accelerator, at Harwell, would cost, I think, several million pounds.