Records of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

Division within DSIR

1957-1965

Minutes and papers of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, relating to its responsibilities for making executive decisions on behalf of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, are in DSIR 46

Public Record(s)

English

1 series

Topics

Research

Under the Scientific and Industrial Research Act 1956 a Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, generally known as the Research Council, was set up to be the executive authority for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research with most of the administrative and executive functions normally exercised by a departmental minister, and to absorb the scientific functions of the former Advisory Council. Its principal executive officer was the secretary. These included Stations, Industrial Grants, Research Grants, Economics, Development, Postgraduate Training Awards and Human Sciences Committees.

There were also small steering committees which the council appointed to bear responsibility for the programmes of certain research institutes under the department's control. Some of these replaced earlier research boards, namely the Forest Products Research Laboratory, the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (formerly the Government Chemist's Department), the National Engineering Laboratory, the National Chemical Laboratory, the Torry Research Station, the Tropical Products Institute and the Warren Spring Laboratory.

The council was mainly concerned with policy matters, though only a few decisions were taken in full council, many being settled by committees of the council appointed to cover special areas of activity, with delegated power to make decisions on its behalf.

The Research Council was abolished under the Science and Technology Act 1965 and its functions dispersed amongst the Ministry of Technology, Department of Education and Science and the Science Research Council.