HC Deb 15 February 1971 vol 811 cc363-70W
Mr. Robert Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Scientific Industry Research Association Institute; and what is the next date upon which this expenditure is due for review;

(2) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Cast Iron Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(3) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Brush Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the police of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(4) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Ceramic Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(5) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Coke Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(6) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Cotton Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(7) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Cutlery Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(8) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Drop Forging Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(9) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Electrical Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(10) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Flour Milling and Baking Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(11) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Food Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(12) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Fruit and Vegetable Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(13) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Furniture Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(14) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Glass Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(15) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Heating and Ventilating Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(16) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Hosiery Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(17) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Hydromechanics Reseach Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(18) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Industrial Biology Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(19) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Industrial Psycho- logy Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(20) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Lace Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(21) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Lambeg Industrial Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(22) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Launderers Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(23) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Leather Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(24) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Machine Tool Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(25) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Motor Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(26) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(27) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Paint Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(28) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Production Engineering Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(29) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Rubber and Plastics Reseach Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(30) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Paper Industry Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Govenment in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(31) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Wool Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(32) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Welding Institute; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(33) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Water Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(34) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Timber Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(35) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Tar Research Asso- ciation; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry wil be responsible for its own research costs;

(36) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Steel Castings Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(37) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Spring Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(38) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Shoe Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(39) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Ship Research Association; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(40) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Standing Consultative Conference on Textile Research; and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs;

(41) what is the total amount paid in annual grants to the Construction Industry Research and Information Association, and whether he anticipates an early change in the policy of Her Majesty's Government in order that the industry will be responsible for its own research costs.

Mr. Ridley

The figures for the total amounts paid in annual grants to the Research Associations mentioned by the hon. Member since grants have been made available to each of them are as follows:

Total Amount Annual Grant Paid
Research Association (Note 1)
£
Brush 52,634
Cast Iron 1,502,694
Ceramic (Note 2) 1,622,898
Coke 783,291
Construction Industry 1,043,306
Cotton (Note 3) 4,055,553
Cutlery (Note 4) 208,328
Drop Forging 146,658
Electrical 2,512,131
Flour Milling and Baking (Note 5) 1,096,159
Food (Note 6) 779,453
Fruit and Vegetable 258,489
Furniture 436,289
Glass 512,801
Heating and Ventilating 212,379
Hosiery 489,211
Hydromechanics 557,451
Industrial Biology 829,486
Industrial Psychology 147,108
Lace 220,978
Lambeg Industrial 674,363
Launderers 622,032
Leather 758,223
Machine Tool 630,521
Motor 1,483,290
Non-Ferrous Metals 1,469,741
Paint 770,582
PIRA* (Note 7) 1,781,690
Production Engineering 2,008,989
Rubber and Plastics 1,199,657
Sira Institute 2,141,361
Ship (Note 8) 4,857,868
Shoe 679,417
Spring 159,127
Steel Castings 588,514
Tar 571,854
Timber 728,552
Water 512,750
Welding Institute 2,435,093
Wool 1,767,873
SCCTR† 17,884
* The Research Association for the Paper and Board, Printing and Packaging Association.
† Standing Consultative Conference on Textile Research.

Notes:

1. The totals include the latest financial year for which accounts have been received.

2. Includes payments to Pottery and Refractories Research Associations which combined to form Ceramic Research Association in 1948.

3. Includes payments to Silk and Rayon Research Associations which amalgamated with Cotton Research Association in 1933 and 1961 respectively.

4. Includes payments to File Research Council up to 1967; work on files is now performed by Cutlery Research Association on their behalf.

5. Includes payments to Baking and Flour Millers Research Associations which combined to form Flour Milling and Baking Research Association in 1967.

6. Includes payments to Cocoa and Confectionery Research Association and to Food Manufacturers Research Association which com- bined to form Food Manufacturing Industries Research Association in 1946.

7. Includes payments to Paper and Board, and Printing and Packaging Research Associations which combined to form P.I.R.A, in 1967.

8. Includes payments to Pametrada and to Shipbuilding Research Association. Shipbuilding Research Association and part of Pametrada combined to form Ship Research Association in 1962.

The offer of grant to the Sira Institute expires on 31st March, 1975 and the terms will be reviewed not later than that date. The grant to the Standing Consultative Conference on Textile Research was for a specific project and has now ceased.

As far as policy on grants to Research Associations is concerned, we are proceeding as quickly as possible with a review of policy on grants to Research Associations, but this is a part of the general review by the Department of Trade and Industry of all industrial research support activities and I cannot set a date for the completion of the review or anticipate its conclusions. In the meantime we are dealing with each Research Association on its merits and reducing grant progressively so that each industry bears an increasing proportion of the cost of its Association.