Autumn 2005 SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT State of the Nation Plastic Waste Private Finance Initiative Visions of Science Airbus Launches the New A350 The Journal of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee http://www.scienceinparliament.org.uk THE STATE OF THE NATION 2005 An assessment of the UK’s infrastructure by the Institution of Civil Engineers PUBLISHED 18 OCTOBER 2005 About the Institution of Civil Engineers About the report As a professional body, the The State of the Nation Report For more information on the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is compiled each year by a panel background to the State of the is one of the most important of civil engineering experts. The Nation Report, contact ICE sources of professional expertise report’s aim is to stimulate debate External Relations: in road and rail transport, water and to highlight the actions that supply and treatment, flood ICE believes need to be taken to t +44 (0)20 7665 2151 management, waste and energy – improve the UK’s infrastructure. e [email protected] our infrastructure. Established in It has been produced since 2000. w www.uk-infrastructure.org.uk 1818, it has over 75,000 members This year, six regional versions throughout the world – including of the State of the Nation Report – over 60,000 in the UK. covering Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales as well as the North West, South West and West Midlands of England – are being produced, in conjunction with the UK-wide publication. To read the complete report please visit www.uk-infrastructure.org.uk Registered Charity No. 210252 SCIENCE IN Science in Parliament has two main objectives: a) to inform the scientific and industrial communities PARLIAMENT of activities within Parliament of a scientific nature The Journal of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee. and of the progress of relevant legislation; The Committee is an Associate Parliamentary Group b) to keep Members of Parliament abreast of members of both Houses of Parliament and British members of the European Parliament, representatives of scientific affairs. of scientific and technical institutions, industrial organisations and universities. Michael Dixon’s NHM inspires public engagement with science, as our planet’s future depends on a better understanding of nature. Robert Key says politicians must recognise that Britain’s success depends on our scientists, technologists and Contents engineers. Paul Wiles promotes identity Autumn 2005 Volume 62 Number 4 verification using ID cards and the National Identity Register. Peter Davis’s plastics are The Natural History Museum: Inspiring public engagement with science 2 recycled or burnt to help close the energy gap. Dr Michael Dixon Graham Hearn’s electrostatics sort waste plastics A call to arms 3 into clean, single Opinion by Robert Key MP polymer streams, prior to melting and ID Cards and the National Identity Register 4 reforming. Lee Professor Paul Wiles Clayton’s UK plastic Plastic Waste: Toxic Rubbish or Strategic Resource? 6 recycling plant makes Addresses to the P&SC by Peter Davis, Graham Hearn, a profit and Roger Dr Roger Morton and Lee Clayton Morton’s research on Parliamentary Links Day 13 novel plastic Blair praises "thriving" Links Day separation techniques The advent of a new industrial revolution and the Airbus A350 wing 16 reduces plastic Paul Chivers, VP Head of A350 Wing, Airbus UK disposal in landfill. State of the Nation Report 2005 18 The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Parliamentary As assessment of the UK’s infrastructure by the Institution of Civil Engineers Links Day is "the foremost scientific gathering in the Parliamentary calendar" according to the Diversity in Science 20 Prime Minister, while Hilary Benn unites scientists Novartis and The Daily Telegraph Visions of Science Photographic Awards and policymakers in the fight against poverty and Warning of Catastrophe: the way forward 22 disease in Africa. Paul Chivers’ industrial Professor Bill McGuire revolution replaces metals with composites in the NHS PFI is not NHS PLC 24 Airbus A350 wing. Gordon Masterton presents Lord Warner the State of the Nation, with radical solutions for The Private Finance Initative: a policy built on sand 25 infrastructure problems. Visions of Science Professor Allyson Pollock emphasise diversity of technique and mode of expression. Bill McGuire discusses early warning Visit to the London IDEAS Genetics Knowledge Park 26 for tsunami that could prevent a hazard becoming Letter to the Editor 27 a disaster. Lord Warner believes that PFI will Geophysics Education in the UK 28 underpin the NHS new build, while Allyson Promoting UK/Japan Science & Technology Collaborations 29 Pollock argues that PFI is built on sand. Aftab Khan’s geophysicists are a declining resource The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Meeting of Experts 30 requiring attention. The Committee is stimulated Codes of Conduct for Scientists by a visit to the Genetics Knowledge Park, while Spaceport 32 Philippa Rogers develops the UK/Japan S&T Sustainable Development: The Engineering Contribution Guidance 34 relationship, John Freeman considers codes of documents for young engineers conduct for weapons scientists, Michael Bode’s House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee 35 Spaceport locates on the Mersey and Robert Freer Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology 36 engineers sustainable development. Following this edition I hand over the reins (ie House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology 37 chair of the Editorial Board) to Dr Brian Iddon, Debates and Selected Parliamentary Questions and Answers 38 MP for Bolton South East. I have enjoyed my Digest of Parliamentary Debates, Questions and Answers 41 stint in charge of Science in Parliament immensely Euro-News 47 and I wish Brian every success. I also want to thank Annabel Lloyd and Peter Simpson whose European Union Digest 48 hard work and inventiveness contribute so much 2005 Volume Index 50 to our journal. Science Directory 51 Science Diary 60 Dr Douglas Naysmith MP Chairman, Editorial Board, Science in Parliament Front cover photo: A computer-generated impression of the new Airbus A350 ISSN 0263-6271 The Natural History Museum: Inspiring public engagement with science Michael Dixon, Director t the Natural History Museum 500 peer reviewed articles annually has taken on greater prominence, we believe the future of the and many are world leaders in their which is dependent on the extent Aplanet depends on a field. We also house about 70 PhD and quality of our scientific work comprehensive understanding of students, for whom there is co- and the collections that we hold. the natural world. We share supervision with scientists in UK We recognise that this must be knowledge, engage people’s universities, and MSc students on relevant to the issues that concern curiosity and encourage their courses that we run jointly with the general public and provide enjoyment of the planet with a Imperial College. Our scientists evidence to inform public debate. sense of responsibility for its future. also provide access to information Our Darwin Centre provides state- Any organisation delivering such on the world’s biological and of-the-art conditions for storage of lofty ideals is bound to be complex geological diversity, principally our collections and world-class and the mix of skills, facilities and through our library which probably facilities for our scientists and is endeavour enshrined by the holds the world’s greatest natural used in bringing scientists and the Museum is rarely visible. The NHM history collection, and by providing public closer together. Visitors can is a world class collection of natural identification for specimens see our scientists at work on our history specimens and artworks, a collected worldwide. We handle collections that are used to address centre of scientific excellence, a around 45,000 enquiries annually new questions about the natural learning resource, a place of public from professionals and the public. world and engage with them in engagement with science, and an Our Public Engagement Group interactive sessions that are web-cast iconic building as well as one of the operates at South Kensington and on a daily basis. UK’s leading visitor destinations. Tring1 and through outreach, Our public services are closely Our work also contributes to the touring exhibitions in the UK and aligned to government policy. This delivery of strategic priorities of overseas and our website, which includes our sponsoring several government departments. attracts almost a million visits department, DCMS, the DTI/OST The Museum is a non-departmental monthly. Annual visits have 10 year framework for investment public body (NDPB) and receives doubled from around 1.65m to in UK science, the UK’s obligations grant-in-aid from the Department 3.3m since the reintroduction of under the convention on for Culture, Media and Sport, free admission in December 2001 biodiversity (CBD) overseen by supplemented by a range of income and we have programmes to attract DEFRA, the commitments to the generating activities that are a more diverse audience. Over 95% next generation inherent in DfES necessary to fund the activities we of our visitors consider their policy and overseas capacity undertake. The biggest contributors experience good or excellent. We building via the British are scientific grants from the have established a design Council/FCO, with whose support. Research Councils and other grant consultancy from our touring DCMS and the NHM are training awarding bodies, retail and catering exhibition business that has worked the next generation of curators in businesses for our 3.3 million on high profile, overseas projects post apartheid South Africa. visitors, a conference and events and co-designed the UK pavilion at It is an exciting time to have taken business utilising the buildings and the Expo in Aichi, Japan this year. over as Director. Our economic gardens and consultancy services We also support primary and value to the taxpayer is proven.