§ Mr. Fortasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the Report of the Committee on the Organisation of certain parts of the Atomic Energy Authority, Command Paper No. 338.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI have been asked to reply.
Yes. The Chairman of the Atomic Energy Authority has sent the following letter to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister:—
"United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
St. Giles Court,
London, W.C.2.
January 21, 1958.
Dear Prime Minister,
The Authority have considered the report (Cmd. 338) of the Committee which you appointed to examine the organisation of certain parts of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
221W2. The Authority wish to record their appreciation of the valuable service which the Committee have performed in producing so speedily a penetrating and comprehensive report.
3. The Committee lay down certain principles of organisation for a large technological production group. On the basis of these principles they recommend certain alterations in and expansions of the organisation of the Industrial Group of the Authority. They point out that their recommendations involve the creation of a number of new senior technical posts, the filling of which will present problems; and they advise that the measures necessary to meet these problems, while important, should be taken not as panic measures but with due deliberation over a period of time. The Committee also point out that in so far as their report deals with staffing, it does so in terms of numbers and types of senior personnel required and does not deal with the individual qualities of the holders of particular posts.
4. The Authority endorse, and will follow, the principles of organisation which the Committee lay down. They also accept in general the scheme of organisation recommended for the Industrial Group, and expect in large measure and over a period of time, to implement the Committee's recommendations. The Authority's objective will be to approach as nearly as possible to the organisation visualised by the Committee, having regard to the individuals who hold, or can be found whether from inside or outside the Authority to fill, the senior posts. The Authority have already begun to take the practical steps which arise from their acceptance of the report and are embarking upon a programme of recruitment from outside and of transfer within the Authority.
Your sincerely,
E. N. PLOWDEN."
My right hon. Friend is studying this communication, but I have no reason to suppose that he will dissent from the action proposed.