Records of the Advisory Council

Records of the Advisory Council of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and predecessor committee, relating to their responsibilities for considering and initiating research proposals.

Minute books of the Advisory Council and its committees are in DSIR 1, with meetings files in DSIR 2

• Committee for Scientific and Industrial Research, Advisory Council, 1915-1916
• Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Advisory Council, 1916-1956

Topics

Research

By the order in council of 28 July 1915 the new Committee for Scientific and Industrial Research was to be advised by a small but authoritative council of eminent scientists, some of whom had connections with industry. This council was to consider and report to the committee on proposals, which it could itself initiate, for instituting specific research; for establishing or developing special institutions or departments of existing institutions for the scientific study of problems affecting particular industries and trades; and for the establishment and award of research studentships and fellowships.

The council's membership was to consist of such persons holding office for such term as the committee should from time to time determine. An order in Council of 6 February 1928 replaced appointment of members of the council by the committee with appointment by the Lord President of the Council after consultation with the president of the Royal Society.

Although the council was given no executive authority and the committee of the Privy Council was not bound to act on its advice, the committee was required to seek that advice before deciding on any major action. As a result little was done without the agreement or recommendation of the council.

The council was assisted by certain committees responsible for making recommendations designed to foster industrial and academic research and postgraduate training in universities. A Million Fund Committee was appointed by the council in 1923 to consider and report on the extent to which industrial research associations should receive further grant aid from the 'Million Fund' after the expiry of its first five year period, and to recommend subscriptions to aid the establishment of new research associations.

It was replaced in 1927 by the Industrial Grants Committee, which had wider terms of reference, including responsibility for recommending grants to bodies other than Research Associations. In 1917 an Applications Committee was established to recommend junior research awards to students at universities and similar institutions, and senior research awards to young inventors and scientists. It was succeeded in 1927 by the Scientific Grants Committee, with added powers of recommending awards for research which did not have any immediate industrial application.

The Advisory Council was abolished in 1956. The Industrial Grants Committee and the Scientific Grants Committee then ceased to function.