HL Deb 30 November 1965 vol 270 cc1133-4

2.40 p.m.

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Government Social Survey is to be placed under the administrative control of the Social Science Research Council; and whether the Council will be able to initiate surveys on its own account.]

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, the Committee on Social Studies recommended that the Social Survey should be transferred to the Treasury and that an Inter-departmental Committee should be created, under Treasury chairmanship, composed of representatives of the main user departments and of the Social Science Research Council, to advise on the programme of the Social Survey. The Government consider this recommendation to be right in principle, but the detailed arrangements are still being worked out. My noble friend Lord Snow, in moving approval of the Draft Social Science Research Council Order 1965, announced that the Council would concentrate initially on the support of research being carried out in the universities and elsewhere, and that for the time being at least the Council would not set up research units of its own. I think it follows that it would similarly not conduct social surveys at this stage.

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, may I thank my noble friend for his Answer, most of which is not at all bad. But is he aware that the last part is not really any better than that which I got from my noble friend Lord Snow? Indeed, I did not get any answer from my noble friend Lord Snow when he moved the Order, and in accordance with the Order, is it not a fact that the Social Science Research Council will be empowered to set up units even though it does not do so immediately? Is it, therefore, not logical that it also should initiate surveys in due course, even if it does not do so immediately?

LORD SHEPHERD

My Lords, I am most grateful to my noble friend for his conditional appreciation. It is true that the Charter of the Social Science Research Council would permit it to set up units and carry out independent surveys, but at this stage, particularly in view of the fact that the Council has not yet started work, I think it would be too soon to say what course it might decide to adopt in conjunction with the Government.

LORD TAYLOR

My Lords, may I thank my noble friend for that much more satisfactory supplementary answer?