§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Minister of Technology what action he is taking to encourage through the research establishments for which he is responsible the actual production of hardware for use and for sale in the light of the evidence of the Electronic Engineering Association to the Select Committee on Science and Technology.
§ Mr. FowlerIf my hon. Friend has in mind commercial production of hardware 37W by research establishments, the answer is that we have no proposals to encourage such activity. On the other hand, it is a major part of the functions of the establishments to give research backing to industry, and it is our policy to take every opportunity to improve the arrangements for consultation with industry about our research programmes, so as to ensure that they are oriented in the most commercially advantageous directions. In this sense we are certainly using the research establishments to support the production by industry of hardware for use and for sale.