§ Mr. MANDERasked the Minister of Health for what specific purpose the Million Fund for the encouragement of co-operative industrial research has been allocated, and how much remains; what contributions in connection therewith have been received from employers; and what further sums are being spent at the present time by his Department for research in other directions?
§ Mr. BALDWINAs Minister responsible for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, I have been asked to reply. The Million Fund for the encouragement of scientific and industrial research was placed exclusively at the disposal of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in 1917 to enable it to co-operate with the industries of the country in the foundation and maintenance of approved associations for research. A list of existing industrial research associations established in connection with the scheme, and figures indicating the total grants paid by the Department to each association up to 31st July, 1931, are given in Appendix V to the Department's Annual Report for 1930-31 (Cmd. 3989). The balance of the Million Fund on 31st March, 1931, was £132,196; it is estimated that this figure will be reduced to about £40,000 on 31st March, 1932. The total funds subscribed to research associations by industry up to 31st October, 1931, amounted to approximately £1,300,000. A summary of the expenditure of the Department during the year ended 31st March, 1931 (a net total of £555,691), is given in Appendix IV to the Annual Report for 1930-31.