§ Mr. John H. Osbornasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Ministers and officials from his Department attended the recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development conference of Ministers of Science; what were the main issues reviewed at this conference; and in what way he will now ensure better use of expensive capital equipment by closer international collaboration in such fields as high-energy physics, fusion and demonstration projects for the application of new technologies.
§ Mr. MacfarlaneI attended the second day of the meeting. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry attended the first. One official from each department and the chief scientist in the Central Policy Review Staff were present throughout. I am placing in the Library of the House a communiqué published by the OECD, enclosing a declaration adopted by the meeting, which sums up the issues reviewed. Continuing departmental policies already provide for international collaboration in suitable areas of science and technology, in some cases involving the use of expensive capital equipment.