– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 12 April 1948.
Major Donald Bruce
, Portsmouth North
12:00,
12 April 1948
asked the Minister of Supply what progress has been made in the endeavours to harness atomic energy for industrial purposes.
Mr George Strauss
, Lambeth North
The low energy experimental pile, which has been in operation at Harwell since August, 1947, and the larger experimental pile, which will come into operation there this summer, are basic tools for the study of the many problems to be overcome before atomic energy can be harnessed for industrial purposes. The production of fissile material at Sellafield is a further essential preliminary. At the same time work is going ahead on planning alternative designs of experimental piles for power production.
Major Donald Bruce
, Portsmouth North
Does my right hon. Friend still have the same estimate as his right hon. Friend a year ago—that it will be about five years before it is possible to utilise atomic energy for productive purposes?
Mr George Strauss
, Lambeth North
The consensus of scientific opinion now puts the date rather further forward and it is considered that it will be at least 10 years, and some hold considerably longer, before atomic energy can be used on any considerable scale for industrial purposes.
Viscount Hinchingbrooke
, Dorset Southern
Would the right hon. Gentleman take the opportunity of disposing of the rumour which appeared in the Press during the weekend that the ancient and dilapidated village of Imber is to be exposed to the lull force of atomic energy?
Mr George Strauss
, Lambeth North
That is rather a different question, but there is no truth in the rumour.
Mr Emrys Hughes
, South Ayrshire
Can the right hon. Gentleman give the approximate sums spent on atomic research for industrial and war purposes, respectively?
Mr George Strauss
, Lambeth North
That is an entirely different question.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
