§ 2.36 p.m.
THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make a statement on the assistance provided by the Department of Technical Co-operation for developing countries in the field of research.]
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT (LORD CHESHAM)My Lords, a White Paper is being published to-day giving an account of the work of the Department of Technical Co-operation in this field.
THE EARL OF SELKIRKMy Lords, may I ask whether this will include references to research institutions of the type, for instance, of the Rubber Research Institution in Malaysia, which has made such a tremendous contribution to the productivity of the rubber industry?
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, research of that kind will be referred to. I am glad to tell my noble friend that it is taking place, and increasingly so. I understand, for instance, that in East Africa and Central Africa Commonwealth countries, with help from this country, are co-operating in research of this kind on a very wide regional basis.
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, can the noble Lord inform us whether the research institution at Rothamsted is being freely—I stress the word "freely"—made available to the developing countries?
§ LORD CHESHAMMy Lords, without notice I cannot be specific about Rothamsted, but I can certainly tell the noble Lord that a great deal of the research is conducted on agricultural matters in the broadest sense, and a good deal of it is home based.