§ Major Bruceasked the Lord President of the Council whether he is aware that the hydraulic research organisation of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research cannot proceed with the construction of a tidal model of Portsmouth harbour, required for purposes of land reclamation at Portsmouth, until a new hydraulic research station has been constructed, and that it has been estimated that subsequent investigation by that organisation will take four years; and whether he will either accord priority to the construction of this station or provide other facilities to enable the preparation of the model to proceed at an early date.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonYes. I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newport (Mr. Peter Freeman) on 12th May, 1949. The construction of the hydraulics research laboratory is one of the most important constructional projects for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and it will be built as soon as possible. The possibility of the Department conducting the investigation elsewhere has been considered, but it has not been thought to be feasible.