§ Mr. Mitchisonasked the Parliamentary Secretary for Science whether he is aware that there is considerable dissatisfaction among the staff who will have to work at the proposed Road Research Laboratory at Crowthorne about the accommodation to be provided there, as regards the ceiling height of laboratories and corridors, the lack of covered ways between buildings, the insufficient size of office rooms, the absence of separate rooms for office work, the lack of any hall for meetings and conferences, the insufficiency of space for the indoor storage of experimental material, and the lack of accommodation for the computer or the Bridges Group; and whether, before work is begun on the proposed buildings, the Minister of Science will receive a deputation to consider improvement in accommodation.
§ Mr. Denzil FreethI am aware that representatives of the staff of the Road Research Laboratory have expressed dissatisfaction at certain aspects of the accommodation to be provided at Crowthorne. The points mentioned by the hon. and learned Member were also included in a letter which requested my noble Friend to receive a deputation from the Institution of Professional Civil Servants. As he was advised that the normal processes of general discussion have not been completed and, particularly as the immediate responsibility rests with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research my noble Friend replied that the Institution should discuss the matter with the Secretary to the Council. He added that, if thereafter the Institution was still dissatisfied and felt that the matter was of sufficient consequence, he would then be prepared to receive a deputation. I understand that subsequently the Institution wrote to the Secretary to the Council, who has expressed his willingness to discuss these matters with the Institution but has pointed out 109W that the Ministry of Public Building and Works have placed the contract for the buildings immediately in question and that only in exceptional circumstances would there be justification for amending at this advanced stage the specifications agreed by the Departments concerned.