HC Deb 13 May 1966 vol 728 cc152-8W
Mr. J. M. Osborn

asked the Minister of Technology (1) what permanent arrangements the Electrical Engineering Chemical Plant and Materials Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(2) what permanent arrangements the Mechanical Engineering Products Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; aid what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(3) what permanent arrangements the Machine Tools Manufacturing Machinery and Automation Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(4) what permanent arrangements the Electronics Telecommunications and Instruments Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(5) what permanent arrangements the Computers Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(6) what permanent arrangements the External Resources Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices, and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what are the number of representatives in each case;

(7) what permanent arrangements the Research Associations Branch has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices, and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(8) what permanent arrangements the Stations Branch has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case.

(9) what permanent arrangements the Public Corporations Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(10) what permanent arrangements the Information and Regional Organisation Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(11) what permanent arrangements the Standards Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least one a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(12) what permanent arrangements the Economics Manpower and Statistics Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(13) what permanent arrangements the Principal Finance Officer and General Division has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices; and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(14) what permanent arrangements the Principal Establishment Officer has for liaison with the appropriate commercial, industrial and trade associations involving either attendance at least once a year of a representative of his Department at one of the associations' meetings or alternatively involving at least one association meeting in his offices, and what are the associations on which the division has permanent representatives, and what is the number of representatives in each case;

(15) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Electrical Engineering Chemical Plant and Materials Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(16) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Mechanical Engineering Products Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(17) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Machine Tools Manufacturing Machinery and Automation Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(18) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Electronics Telecommunications and Instruments Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(19) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Computers Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives; and what is the number in each case;

(20) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the External Resources Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(21) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Research Associations Branch has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(22) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Stations Branch has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(23) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Public Corporations Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(24) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Information and Regional Organisation Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives; and what is the number in each case;

(25) with what research institutes, organizations and associations the Standards Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(26) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Economics Manpower and Statistics Division has permanent liason; on which of these the division has permanent representatives and what is the number in each case;

(27) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Principal Finance Officer and General Division has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives; and what is the number in each case;

(28) with what research institutes, organisations and associations the Principal Establishment Officer has permanent liaison; on which of these the division has permanent representatives; and what is the number in each case.

Mr. Cousins

The divisions of the Ministry of Technology have generally not found the need for formal liaison arrangements of the kind the hon. Member suggests. They maintain contact with commercial, industrial, trade and research associations, institutes and organisations in the ways which enable the Department to function effectively and which serve the needs of those organisations which are interested in and concerned with the Department's activities. The links between industry and the Department through its research stations and through the research associations, to which it gives grants, are particularly close. All these links are being strengthened as the Department develops its policies for accelerating technological progress in industry. If the hon. Member is aware of any instance where in his view these arrangements are not working to the satisfaction of an industrial organisation, I should be grateful if he would let me know.