I am pleased that the Government have chosen to debate this subject. Hon. Members say that the Finniston report is important. It is. However, a few Fridays ago I had a debate on the Finniston report. Again, hon. Members said that the report was important. Only three hon. Members were present at that debate. I see that we have done better today. However, there are still only 10 or 12 hon. Members in the Chamber. The absence of hon. Members may be a reflection of the problem. We must engender greater enthusiasm. A fundamental problem must be recognised.

Yesterday I was in the Chamber when my right hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. du Cann) made a telling contribution. He spoke about the development of our economy over a reasonable period of time. He said : It seems to me that we continually give too high a priority to consumption and too little to wealth creation."—[Official Report, 12 June 1980; Vol. 986, c. 906.] I fully endorse that sentiment. He went on to itemise the increasing cost of administration and of bureaucracy, and pointed out that wages and salaries have spiralled. He emphasised that investment in capital projects had diminished proportionately. However, we do not only need Government support for projects such as those of the construction industry. We must also invest in skills, techniques and the abilities of those who will be our future managers and engineers. It is they who will create the wealth.

Whatever quality of life we may seek, and whatever improvements we may desire in hospitals, schools and facilities for the sick and elderly, we must first create wealth. The Finniston report brilliantly points out that, compared to our rivals, this country has been progressively sliding backwards in its ability to create such wealth. That consideration must be borne in mind whenever the Finniston report is debated.

The report covers a wide range of interests and many pressures are involved. If one listens to all the pressure groups and all the suggestions, one finds that one is left with nothing. No part of the report would be worth implementing. The pressures would trade off and the report could be pulled to bits. The hon. Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Huckfield) pointed out that the interests that represent professional engineers have been pulling in different directions. The question of how to retain and improve high standards is central to the report's terms of reference. How can the profession ensure the right type of professional discipline and conduct? That is important.

The report makes several recommendations. The quality of training is linked to professional discipline and conduct. The professional engineering institutions argue that they have been responsible for maintaining standards and training for many years and that they should be responsible for the conduct of their members and for the standards of the profession. They do not want the Government to play a part. That is why a compromise solution has been reached and why the Privy Council—rather than the Government—has been chosen to nominate the body. However, at the end of the day the Government would appoint the members. It is nonsense to bring in the Privy Council. If we set up such a body and believe that it is important—either because we wish to do something about the professional standards of engineers, or about our industrial climate and investment—that body should be made accountable to Parliament. It should not be strictly accountable to the Privy Council, and only indirectly accountable to government.