HC Deb 14 March 1946 vol 420 cc267-8W
Wing-Commander Cooper

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received the Report' of the committee appointed to make proposals for the formation of the British Institute of Management; and whether he accepts it and intends to publish it.

Sir S. Cripps

Last November I appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Sir Clive Baillieu, President of the Federation of British Industries, to formulate detailed proposals for setting up a central institution for all questions connected with management. The committee have now presented their Report, which I regard as a most valuable document. I have arranged for it to be published in the near future.

The committee recommend the setting up of a British Institute of Management, which should aim at establishing itself as a professional body. The functions of the proposed Institute would be to provide a centre for the study of management, to carry out research and to disseminate . information on the subject of management, to encourage and advise on schemes of training in management, to work in close co-operation with those existing management bodies which are effective in their own specialist fields, and, generally, to take all possible steps to assist in raising the standards of management practice in this country. I am in full agreement with the general recommendations of the committee and 1 hope soon to announce the names of the chairman and the members of the first council, which the committee recommend ' be appointed by the Government until elected representatives can take their place according to a formula worked out by the committee. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed that, to ensure a favourable start for the Institute, contributions from members and from industry shall, as necessary, be supplemented by an initial grant not to exceed £ 150,000 over five years, this money to be provided from public funds subject to its being voted by Parliament year by year. After that time the Institute will have to be self-supporting.