HC Deb 08 December 1947 vol 445 cc143-5W
132. Mr. Palmer

asked the Minister of Works what change has been made in his arrangements for research in the field of building and civil engineering.

Mr. Key

The Government has recently had under consideration the arrangements for building research, and has now decided that my Department should bear the main responsibility for reviewing the whole field of building research, identifying gaps and problems requiring further research, determining their relative priorities, and bringing them to the notice of the appropriate research organisation. My Department will also continue to keep the technical development of the building industry under review, to promote the final stages of technical development, and to encourage within the industry the use of the results of research and of technical development generally. The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research will continue to be responsible for carrying out scientific research within its field including initial development in building, and to be free to initiate research. It will also be free to undertake investigations at the direct proposal of industry. The Ministry of Works will, for the time being, retain the primary responsibility for sociological and economic research in the building industry. Close contact will be maintained between the two Departments.

To advise in the carrying out of these responsibilities, I have appointed an Advisory Council on Building and Civil Engineering Research and Development including persons engaged in the building and civil engineering industries, in the professions and in scientific work, together with assessors appointed by the Government Departments concerned. I will circulate the terms of reference and a list of the members. The Council will take the place of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Works, and I would like to express my appreciation of the work that the Committee has done in the two years of its existence.

Following is Me information:

Terms of reference:

  1. 1. To keep under review the whole field of building research and technical development and the results obtained there-from.
  2. 2. To suggest from time to time subjects of further research and development with due regard to their relative importance and urgency.
  3. 3. To advise on the programme of sociological and economic research in the building industry and other research and development work for which the Ministry of Works is responsible.
  4. 4. To advise on the methods of securing the use by industry of the results of research and technical development.

Membership:

Chairman: Sir Harold Emmerson, K.C.B. (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works).

Vice-Chairman: Sir George Gater, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., D.S.O. (Chairman of the Building Apprenticeship and Training Council).

Members:

Professor J. D. Bernal, F.R.S.

Professor H. V. A. Briscoe.

Mr. D. N. Chester.

Mr. H. E. Comben.

Mr. R. Coppock, C.B.E.

Mr. C. T. Every, C.B.E.

Mr. L. Fawcett, O.B.E.

Captain A. M. Holbein.

Mr. T. C. Howitt, D.S.O.

Sir Lancelot Keay, K.B.E., P. R.I.B.A.

Mr. A. Lamond, C.B.E.

Professor C. A. Mace.

Professor J. M. Mackintosh.

Dr. L. J. Murdock.

Mr. W. T. Porteous.

Mr. B. Sandercock, O.B.E.

Mr. E. J. Smith.

Professor W. N. Thomas, C.B.E.

Mr. Guthlac Wilson.

Dr. F. Yates.

Professor S. Zuckerman, C.B., F.R.S.

Together with Assessor members from the following Government Departments:

Ministry of Education.

Ministry of Fuel and Power.

Ministry of Health.

Department of Health for Scotland.

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Ministry of Works.