§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Minister of Technology if he will compile and publish an up-to-date census of machine tools in use in Great Britain, showing the age and country of origin of each machine, including numerically controlled machine tools.
§ Mr. BennA census covering about 20 per cent. of the engineering industry has recently been completed by "Metalworking Production" with the full support of my Department, and the results will be published this week. It classified machine-tools in one of three age-groups, and as British or foreign. I do not think a further, more detailed, census by my Department would be justified at the present time.
A survey of numerically controlled machine tools was published by the same journal in June, 1964, and it is hoped that a further survey may be made next year; these machines are not, however. distinguished in the present census.