§ VISCOUNT CALDECOTEasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make a statement about the proposal by the Royal Society to establish with Exchequer support, certain new Research Professorship's in British universities.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND MINISTER FOR SCIENCE (VISCOUNT HAILSHAM)The President of the Royal Society has proposed to my right honourable and learned friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the Society should establish, with Exchequer support and with the approval of the universities concerned, a number of research professorships in British universities. The purpose of this scheme would be to meet a need, not at present covered, to provide opportunities for research scientists who are worthy of appointment to a Chair but for whom one is not available because they work in a borderline field1090WA or in one in which scientific developments are exceptionally rapid or for similar reasons.
I am pleased to state that Her Majesty's Government have agreed with the Royal Society to provide further direct financial support to the Royal Society to enable them to sponsor the creation of five professorships of this kind. It is hoped that the first appointments will be made early in 1963. The conditions of tenure for the professorships will be settled with the universities concerned.
It is intended that, subject to Parliamentary approval, the grant-in-aid to the Royal Society for 1963–64 shall contain provision for a new grant to cover the salaries of the professors and their immediately supporting staff, and that the scientific investigations grant to the Royal Society shall be increased to provide the necessary equipment. The cost of this scheme is expected to be about £35,000 next year and about £44,000 in the first full year of its operation.
House adjourned at four minutes before eight o'clock.