§ VISCOUNT ADDISONMy 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 what steps are being taken to publicise the economic advantages to be derived from a wider use by industry of the services of the Meteorological Office.]
§ THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE FOR THE ROYAL AIR FORCE (LORD SHACKLETON)My Lords, recent studies by the Meteorological Office suggest that the ratio of benefit to cost to industry by the use of meterological services is very substantial. For example in the case of 474 civil aviation it is of the order of 10 to 1; in the case of agriculture it could be as high as 200 to 1. Our national economy can derive substantial benefits from cooperation with the work of the Meterological Office. Progress made so far is encouraging. I can assure the noble Lord that this has served only to enthuse the Meteorological Office, which is now seeking to increase its efforts—which are already not insubstantial—by extending and strengthening its public service organisation, by issuing new explanatory literature, and by making contact with industries both through their own headquarters and research associations and through the other Government departments concerned and the "little Neddies". In this connection I would like to say how helpful has been the recent Report by the Estimates Committee on the meteorological services.
VISCOUNTADDISONMy Lords, I thank my noble friend Lord Shackleton for his reply. I should like to put one supplementary question to him. Has any market research been done by the Meteorological Office authorities into the demand by industry for their services?
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, some market research has been done, and certain experiments are on foot which will serve the purpose of market research, but this is one of the subjects to which it is important that further consideration should be given.
§ LORD BALFOUR OF INCHRYEMy Lords, may I, as one who has been connected for some years with civil aviation, ask the Minister whether he is aware of the unfailing courtesy and the great efforts towards efficiency on the part of the Meteorological Office which are so much appreciated by all those connected with civil aviation?
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, I very much appreciate the noble Lord's remarks, which I know will be greatly welcomed by all those very devoted people who work in weather forecasting at the Meteorological Office.