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SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT 6 0 1 2 G N I The Journal of the R Parliamentary and P Scientific Committee sip S This is not an official publication of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its Committees. All-Party Groups are informal groups of members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in this Journal are those of the Group. This Journal is funded by the members of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee. www.scienceinparliament.org.uk Naturally, those that condemn the Royal Society for Public the decision are from the UK Health, calls for “activity labelling” SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT soft drinks industry which is on pre-packaged foods as she reported to be worth £15.7 argues that the current “traffic billion. Speaking from my own light” food labelling system is not experience, the closure of the promoting positive changes in Britvic factory in Chelmsford in public health. sip 2014 was a sad day for the area Amidst the debate over sugar with many in my constituency consumption, one voice which losing their jobs. It will be The Journal of the Parliamentary and has largely ignored in the debate interesting to see the impact of Scientific Committee. Stephen Metcalfe MP, is the sugar beet farmer. Sugar The Parliamentary and Scientific the tax on small independent Chairman, Parliamentary and beet growers are already faced Committee is an All-Party Scientific Committee drinks companies. Parliamentary Group of members of with a challenging outlook, and both Houses of Parliament and British The tax will be exclusively on they are now concerned about members of the European Parliament, representatives of scientific and soft drinks, which leads me to the impact of the sugar tax on The Treasury’s recent technical institutions, industrial question, where does this leave the crop’s economics. With the organisations and universities. announcement about the the fruit juices, smoothies and sugar tax not due till 2018, there introduction of a sugar tax has milkshakes which are also high is plenty of time for the soft received a mixed response. The in sugar? Many are unaware of drinks manufacturers and beet new levy on the soft drinks the specific foods and drinks that farmers to prepare for solutions industry is welcomed by health are naturally high in sugar. This is that will cause minimal impact to campaigners, reflecting a bold an important point that Dr Alison the industry. and important move towards Tedstone illustrates in her article. reducing childhood obesity. The Perhaps technology is the Science in Parliament has two main £520m a year it is expected to answer? Public Health England is objectives: raise will be used to boost sport 1. to inform the scientific and leading the way with their sugar in schools and fund breakfast industrial communities of activities smart app which helps families within Parliament of a scientific clubs at 1,600 schools in keep track of how much sugar is nature and of the progress of England. If the money raised is relevant legislation; in certain foods. used wisely, initiatives such as 2. to keep Members of Parliament abreast of scientific affairs. these will undoubtedly be Some interesting alternative beneficial to encouraging solutions have been proposed to healthier lifestyles from a young help tackle the issue of obesity. age. Shirley Cramer, chief executive of CONTENTS SEVEN WAYS TO SAVE OUR SOILS 2 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2016 19 BRITISH SCIENTISTS HONOURED WITH 37 Helen Browning WOMEN IN SCIENCE – 21 PRESTIGIOUS NEUROSCIENCE PRIZE SO WHAT? UK-TURKEY YEAR OF SCIENCE AND 38 OUR BATTLE WITH SUGAR – 4 INNOVATION 2015-2016 MAKING THE SCIENCE FAMILY FRIENDLY AUTHENTIC BIOLOGY – MAKING STEM REAL 22 Dr Alison Tedston IN SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC EXCHANGE 40 Dave Colthurst PROGRAMMES – BETTER SCIENCE, LIGHTWEIGHT DRONES IN 6 DEEPER LINKS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FLOODING: WHAT IS NORMAL? 25 IS OUR AIR FIT TO BREATHE? 42 Dr Karen Anderson Professor Paul Bates Cheyenne McCrae DOES SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY INCREASE THE 9 OUR APPROACH TO FLOOD RISK 27 HOUSE OF COMMONS SELECT 43 RISK OF INADVERTENT OR MALICIOUS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES 2015 RELEASE OF HIGH-VIRULENCE PATHOGENS? David Balmforth John McCarthy HOUSE OF LORDS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 46 WEATHER DIPLOMACY 30 SELECT COMMITTEE REPAIRING THE PIPELINE OF NEGLECTED 11 POPULATION, POLICY AND PRACTICE 31 DISEASE VACCINES PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE OF 46 PROGRAMME SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (POST) Peter J Hotez Professor Tim J Cole SCIENCE DIRECTORY 48 ZIKA 13 SCIENCE AT DAVOS 34 Professor Jimmy Whitworth Science in Parliament Vol 73 No 1 Spring 2016 1 SEVEN WAYS TO SAVE OUR SOILS Helen Browning Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in 1936 that ‘The history of every nation is eventually written in the way in which it cares for its soil’. Certainly many great civilisations have crumbled alongside their soils, 1 degraded through years of cultivation to the point where food production was not viable. Sadly – despite all our modern (Good Agriculture and organic matter is the key to with farm trials, on your own technology and scientific know- Environment Conditions) in soil health. This means farm or in a network such as how, we are at risk of repeating England will not prevent all ensuring that farms are the Soil Association’s ancient mistakes. Soil damaging operations, let alone recycling more plant and Innovative Farmers. degradation is happening at a promote widespread positive animal matter back into soils. Government: Invest in R&D global and UK scale, and the management. And while soil Farmers: Learn about the on the role of soil biology in impacts of this in the long-term, should be given the same level additional benefits of animal yields and carbon/water if left unaddressed, would be of protection as water and air, an manure and composts and storage. Address regulatory catastrophic for our climate and EU Soil Directive is still not on bring livestock onto arable gaps to ensure new pesticides our food production. the table. farm do not damage soil life. The UN designated 2015 to be We have therefore been Government: Commit to our 4. Cover up bare soil with the International Year of Soil to working on a report to detail SOM target. Stop subsidising continuous plant cover raise awareness of this issue. how we can save UK soils. We damaging practices. Increase What happened in the UK? Soils You can’t see healthy soil – it will be presenting not just to farmer awareness. really have upped the farmers, but also to policy is covered by plants. Plant environmental and agricultural makers and advisors. Here is a 2. Improve soil health roots hold soils together and agenda; at most conferences, I quick summary: monitoring across the UK encourage healthier soil hear soil actually mentioned – communities through plant- Analysing soils is an essential and repeatedly too. fungal interactions. Benefits COMMIT TO OUR first step to support effective spread beyond the farm in TARGET: INCREASE SOIL decision making on soil BUT IN TERMS OF REAL, terms of biodiversity, carbon ORGANIC MATTER health, but some farmers DEFINITIVE ACTION? storage, flood and drought LEVELS BY 20% IN 20 neglect to do this routinely. The main issue to solve here is YEARS control, and water quality. a farming culture where agro- Farmers: Routinely analyse This is the main target of the Farmers: Use cover crops, chemicals are seen as the main your soils, including organic Soil Association’s Soils green manures, longer grass source of fertility and matter. Test and monitor soil Campaign. In other words, we leys and under-sown crops. pest/disease control. This is health – especially if you are want to see arable and Utilise agri-environment combined with short-term leases arable. horticultural soil organic matter schemes to bring back and the pressure to compete levels raised by 1% on existing Government : Using cross- permanent grassland where with other global suppliers with levels, every year. Currently – compliance, ensure farmers appropriate. lower overhead costs. The result? levels are actually declinin g2. We monitor soil health and SOM Short-term and quick-fix Government: Introduce know this target is entirely levels on a representative area management decisions, resulting stricter cross-compliance possible – it is based on what of their farms. in high value but soil damaging measures. Support research to organic farmers frequently simple rotational crop systems 3. Encourage soil organisms help farmers choose the right achieve, as found by a meta- with quick returns. Unintended cover crops and ensure analysis of comparative studies The current focus on chemical consequences are overlooked knowledge exchange. between organic and non- inputs began at a time when and soil health is often forgotten organic farms. we did not yet understand the 5. Bring more trees onto within decision making. This has importance of soil life to need farmland led to declining UK food Seven ways to save our soils, to crop productivity, pests and Trees reduce erosion, can diversity, weeds which we can with some examples of how disease and the ability to cope help draw up nutrients and no longer control and soils which to do this: with extreme weather. This hold soils together. But they are being stripped of their 1. Increase animal and plant needs to change. can be valuable assets to nutrients and organic matter. matter going back onto fields Farmers: Think about soil life farmers in their own right. Not enough is happening to Reversing declines and before making decisions. Be solve this. The upgraded GAECs achieving good levels of innovative and get involved 2 Science in Parliament Vol 73 No 1 Spring 2016 Farmers: Learn about the It is vital we ensure farmers per hectare or 4-10 litres per m 2 References value of farmland trees from are able to design diverse, 4.