§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Industry what programmes are currently run by his Department to make industry aware of the implications of using robots, in encouraging the development of better robot control systems and to encourage companies to use robots; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David Mitchell[pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1980]: I can confirm that the Government consider that progress in awareness, application and manufacture of robots is important. The Department has provided support to the British Robots Association which is promoting awareness of robots through seminars and also to the Production Engineering Research Association specially for its robot advisory service. The Ingersoll report on robots, commissioned by the Department, has also just been published. The development of better robot control systems and the application of robots are being encouraged through schemes such as the Department's product and process development scheme and the microprocessor applications project scheme. Assistance is similarly available to existing and new manufacturers of robots.