HC Deb 01 February 1966 vol 723 c185W
Mr. Alison

asked the Minister of Technology by what criteria he assesses the technological progress resulting from Her Majesty's Government's purchasing of computers and machine tools for defence and civil contracts.

Mr. Cousins

The criteria which it is appropriate to apply depend on the particular job for which the equipment is required. But among the factors to be taken into account are the effect on the import/export balance of the industries in question, the scope for replacing older types with more modern machines and the possibility of using Government orders to stimulate the design and development of advanced types of computers and machine tools.