§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will give a list of scientists employed by his Department who in the past 18 months have participated in exchanges with the universities; and for how long the individual exchanges lasted;
(2) if he will give a list of scientists employed by his Department who in the past 18 months have participated in exchanges with industrial firms; and for how long the individual exchanges lasted.
§ Mr. John MorrisTwo scientists have been released to universities in the past 18 months to take up Research Fellowships, one for three years and one for four years, and one has been loaned to a university for a year to carry out research which is of mutual interest to the university and the Ministry of Defence. Two scientists from an electronics firm are working at a Navy Department establishment. Negotiations are in hand for an exchange with an industrial firm to last for a year; and also for the loan of a scientist to a research foundation for about a year to join a team in an overseas medical investigation.
37WDuring the period a number of scientific staff have moved from the Department to industry, and vice versa, in the normal course of changing jobs.
As my hon. Friend knows, formal exchanges of this kind represent only a small proportion of links which defence scientists have with industry and the universities. No detailed records are maintained centrally but they include the contacts necessary for the placing and monitoring of extramural research and development contracts, the use by industry and the universities of facilities at the R. and D. establishments, and the numerous opportunities for discussion provided by Open Days.
Formal associations between R. and D. establishments and various universities already exist, and we shall aim to strengthen and extend these. There are also schemes for the employment by establishments of Vacation Consultants and of sandwich course students.