Records of the National Institute for Research into Nuclear Science

Records of the National Institute for Research into Nuclear Science.

Minutes and papers are in in AY 33

For records of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, see: AB

The National Institute for Research in Nuclear Science, was set up in 1957 to manage research into nuclear physics previously undertaken by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy authority at Harwell

It was established with a management board consisting of an independent chairman, and fifteen other members, broadly representative of the various interests involved: seven from universities, three from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, two from the University Grants Committee, two from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and one from the Royal Society. In 1958, the National Institute for Research into Nuclear Science was granted a Royal Charter.

The Institute had four main objectives: firstly, to provide common facilities beyond the scope of individual universities and institutions carrying out research in nuclear science; secondly, to encourage the appropriate use of these facilities by scientists from universities, the United Kingdom Energy Authority, and industrial laboratories; thirdly, to co-operate with the United Kingdom Energy Authority to solve specific problems requiring the use of these facilities; and fourthly, to develop the Institute as an important national asset for training scientists and engineers and to assist in the dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge.

Support for the Institute's programmes was initially provided by the staff of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority with the Institute funded under a sub-head of the Authority's Parliamentary Vote. Therefore, although the programme and policy were in the hands of the Institute, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority exercised overall financial supervision on behalf of the Office of the Minister for Science and the Treasury.

Under the provision of the Science and Technology Act 1965, the Science Research Council was created by Royal Charter and took over the functions of the Institute. The Science Research Council was funded through the Department of Education and Science and in 1966 established a Nuclear Physics Board to supervise the activities of the former Institute and other nuclear physics matters.