Abstract
THE Industrial Research Bill introduced recently into the House of Lords by Lord Barnby is intended to improve and strengthen the existing machinery for forming and operating industrial research associations in Great Britain. It is an 'Enabling Bill' under which the majority of interests in any industry can, if they so desire, put forward to the Board of Trade a scheme for operating a co-operative industrial research association. The Board of Trade will approve the scheme if adequate arrangements have not already been made to undertake the scientific research provided for by the scheme, if the scheme is in the national interest and if the promoters appear to represent at least half of the industry concerned, but the scheme will only operate if after such approval at least 75 per cent of the firms in the industry vote in favour. Special minority interests will be permitted to obtain exemption if they have already made their own adequate arrangements for scientific research, if they are too specialized to derive any benefit from a research association or if payment of contributions would involve serious financial hardship. The levy is not to exceed one per cent of the turnover or revenue of any firm. While the Bill does not deal with the scale of Government financial contributions towards the funds of the research associations, it is assumed that State aid would be forthcoming on a generous scale, in view both of the present arrangements and categorical assurances as to the intention of the Government to give the maximum support to scientific research and technical development.
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The Industrial Research Bill. Nature 156, 625 (1945). https://doi.org/10.1038/156625b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/156625b0