HC Deb 25 June 1964 vol 697 cc111-3W
Dr. A. Thompson

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now publish a full statement of the advice given by the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy on the proposal to establish a World Health Research Centre and on the advantages of Scotland as a possible site.

Sir E. Boyle

Yes. I give below the full text of the Advisory Council's advice on the proposal of the World Health Organisation to establish a large international research centre for biomedical research. The Council did not discuss the question of possible sites.

Following is the text:

WORLD HEALTH RESEARCH CENTRE

Memorandum of advice from the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy to the Lord President of the Council and the Minister for Science dated 10th February, 1964

On the 5th February, the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy considered proposals which have been put forward in the World Health Organisation for the establishment of a World Health Research Centre. This centre would have three main divisions. The first would be for epidemiology; the second would be for communications science and technology (i.e., the assembly and processing of information); and the third for biological research.

This proposal is to be considered at the World Health Organisation Assembly in March. It has been considered by the Executive Board of the World Health Organisation, of which the United Kingdom is not a member this year. We understand that the Board considered that more detailed information was required, and suggested that study of the proposal should continue.

The Council, at your request, considered the subject of international scientific co-operation two years ago. They gave their views in their Annual Report for 1961–62. We have considered the World Health Organisation proposals in the light of the general principles which we then laid down.

The World Health Organisation already undertakes some activities in the fields of epidemiology, and scientific information. We believe that these activities are of a kind which should be internationally co-ordinated, and that the existing activities could be expanded with advantage. We are not in a position to advise on the extent of the expansion which would be reasonable, but we consider that the World Health Organisation should operate mainly through national organisations, and that there should not be any need to set up centralised laboratory facilities in order to do what is required in these fields.

The main proposal is that a large international laboratory for biological research should be set up and financed internationally. The Council have carefully considered this proposal, and are unanimously opposed to it for the following reasons: —

  1. (1) In their Report for 1961–62, the Council pointed out the disadvantages of concentrating the best scientific talent in one place, thus isolating it from teaching functions in national universities, and recorded the view that centralised institutions were valuable only where research facilities required were of such an expensive character that they could not be provided on a national basis. The facilities required in this case need not be exceptionally costly, nor beyond the means of most countries with a capability for the kind of research which is in question.
  2. (2) We have had occasion, in our Annual Reports, to comment on the condition of the biological sciences in British universities. Something approaching a revolution is in progress, and a new biology—which is more closely associated with the physical sciences—is now developing. But there is still an insufficient supply of first-class scientists to lead research and teaching in this field at our universities, and our most urgent need is to increase the supply of suitably trained research workers. It would 113 be harmful to this country, and to its progress in biological research, if a number of our leading biologists were to withdraw to an international laboratory.
  3. (3) The belief that the concentration in one very large institution of leading scientists from a number of countries would promote an interchange of knowledge and ideas which does not take place at the present time is, in our view, mistaken. We believe that, on the contrary, concentration of this kind might well have a sterilising effect, and reduce the influence of the people concerned on the development of reesearch.
  4. (4) We consider that the basic objectives of the World Health Organisation proposals could more readily and more economically be obtained by improved co-ordination and support for the decentralised national efforts of member countries.

For the above reasons, the Council advise that the United Kingdom should oppose the proposal for a large International Research Centre for Biomedical Research. We understand that the Medical Research Council has also advised in this sense, and has satisfied itself that a number of our leading biologists, in addition to those who are members of the Medical Research Council, support this view.