asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if, in order to expedite the work of the inquiry into the proposal for a nuclear power station, he will contact the groups and individuals, of whose interest his Department is aware, formally advise them of the impending inquiry, and invite them, even in advance of the establishment of the inquiry's precise terms of reference, to prepare such written or oral submissions as they wish to make.

Having regard to the wide publicity given to the Government's recent decision about the setting up of a tribunal of inquiry into the nuclear project, I do not consider it necessary to contact or advise any particular groups or individuals as proposed.

It will, of course, be a matter for the tribunal itself when established to decide whether to invite specified groups or individuals to make oral or written submissions to it.

In the interests of public relations, from which the Minister has suffered a good deal in his time——

Like the Deputy.

——would the Minister not agree it would be wise for him to lean over backwards if necessary in order to show courtesy, which has been conspicuously lacking until now, in his dealings with these groups, even to the extent of writing to them?

I have little reason to doubt that the groups concerned, numbering five or six, are well aware of the announcement I made of the Government's decision in February. The reason why I have little doubt that they are aware of what I said is that they have all commented publicly on it.

That is true.