Catalogue description Records of the Ministry of Technology

The Ministry of Technology was established in October 1964 to initiate a major national effort to bring advanced technology and new processes into British industry. The ministry was assisted by an advisory council which included representatives of industrial, scientific, economic, and trade union interests. Within a few months the ministry had taken responsibility for the National Research Development Corporation from the Board of Trade, and for the Atomic Energy Authority from the Department of Education and Science. Under the Science and Technology Act 1965, the ministry acquired most of the functions of the former Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, including dissemination of information to industry, distribution of grant aid and responsibility for a number of research establishments.

The ministry also assumed direct responsibility for four key industries in which technological progress was seen as an urgent national need: electronics from the Ministry of Aviation; telecommunications from the Post Office; and computer and machine tools industries from the Board of Trade.

Additionally, in 1965, the Minister of Technology established a Committee on Manpower Resources for Science and Technology jointly with the Department of Education and Science.

From 1966 to 1969 the functions of the Ministry of Technology steadily increased.

In 1966, it absorbed from the Board of Trade, responsibility for sponsorship of the remaining mechanical and electrical engineering industries in the UK, for shipbuilding, for the operation of British Standards in relevant industries, for the distribution of industry policy, for investment grants to industry, and for the Board's regional responsibilities.

In February 1967, from the Ministry of Aviation it absorbed responsibilities for sponsorship of the aircraft industry, and for research and development in the industry.

By the Ministry of Technology Order 1969, it took over all the functions of the former Ministry of Power, including responsibilities for iron and steel.

Also in 1969, in October, from the Department of Economic Affairs it acquired responsibilities in the field of industrial policy, including statutory responsibility for the Industrial Reorganisation Corporation.

Over this period, internal divisions developed to absorb and accommodate these new functions and responsibilities.

By 1970, the Ministry of Technology had thus acquired overall responsibility for government relations with industry in both public and private sectors. It had become responsible for a considerable number of research and other establishments, including the Birniehill Institute of Advanced Machine Tool and Control Technology, the National Chemical Laboratory, National Physical Laboratory, the Fire Research Station, the Forest Products Research Laboratory, the Hydraulics Research Station, the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, the National Engineering Laboratory, the Signals Research and Development Establishment, the Torry Research Station, the Warren Spring Laboratory, and the Water Pollution Research Laboratory.

In October 1970 the Ministry of Technology was merged with the Board of Trade to form the new Department of Trade and Industry, which took over all its functions save those relating to aerospace research, development and procurement, which passed to a new Ministry of Aviation Supply formed from the former ministry's Aviation Group. Four research laboratories, the Fire Research Station, the Forest Products Research Laboratory, the Hydraulics Research Station and the Water Pollution Research Laboratory, together with the administration of grants to four recently created research associations, passed on 1 January 1971 to the Department of the Environment.