9149 SIP AUTUMN 2010 24/11/10 16:11 Page 1 Royal Society 350th Anniversary SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT Comprehensive Spending Review Science Engineering and Politics Industrial Strategy sip Autumn 2010 Our Further Education has to reinvent itself to become more innovative, efficient and market-led to drive new prosperity The Journal of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee www.scienceinparliament.org.uk 9149 SIP AUTUMN 2010 24/11/10 16:11 Page 2 Raising professional standards in the food sector The Institute of Food Science & Technology is the leading independent qualifying body for food professionals in Europe and the only professional food body in the UK concerned with all aspects of food science and technology. Our remit of food science and technology is based on the applied sciences and is something we see as one of our greatest EHQH¿WVDQGVWUHQJWKV What do we do? %HQH¿WWKHVXSSO\RIVDIHQXWULWLRXVDQG tasty food through the application of sound science and technology Communicate innovation and expertise in food science and technology Protect the public by establishing and monitoring professional standards and ethical behaviour amongst food professionals Advance education and continuing professional development (CPD) for food professionals. We are licensed to award Chartered Scientist status (CSci) )RUIXUWKHULQIRUPDWLRQYLVLWRXUZHEVLWHDWZZZLIVWRUJRUFRQWDFWXV RQ7HOHPDLOLQIR#LIVWRUJ 9149 SIP AUTUMN 2010 24/11/10 16:13 Page 3 Initially people will be swayed by the argument that the Department of SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT Business (BIS) have done well to protect the science from cuts, but of course there are cuts. Not as severe as predicted but flat cash will be about a 10% real terms reduction over the spending round which, taken with other changes will result in a net reduction in science activity even with the most optimistic efficiency savings. Those of us outside the golden triangle will be looking enviously at the capital projects confirmed by the chancellor; the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI), the MRC Laboratory of Molecular sip Biology (LMB), the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) at Pirbright and the Diamond synchrotron on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. The Journal of the Parliamentary and Scientific These are all welcome commitments. But all of this occurs within an overall Andrew Miller MP Committee. resource saving within BIS of 25%, comprising 40% savings from the Chairman, Parliamentary The Committee is an Associate Parliamentary and Scientific Group of members of both Houses of reform of Higher Education and an average of 16% savings from the other Committee Parliament and British members of the areas of the Department’s budget. The effect of these, added to the European Parliament, representatives of restrictions imposed by the Home Office on overseas students and scientific and technical institutions, industrial researchers plus cuts in the budgets of every other department that funds organisations and universities. its own science, (with the possible exception of health) means that there will be real pressure on almost every institution in the country. My plea to those charged with distributing the available money during this period is to not to forget their responsibilities towards the whole of the UK. Financial pressures on manufacturers to reduce their use of energy and other hidden costs, especially the loss of the rebate for carbon reduction, in the CSR, plus the uncertainty around regional support mechanisms mean it is far from clear that growth in the private sector will be sufficient to offset Science in Parliament has two main objectives: public sector job losses. The excellent partnerships that I see between our 1. to inform the scientific and industrial academic and industrial sector will not be able to support the quality communities of activities within Parliament science and engineering if the axe is too large. of a scientific nature and of the progress of relevant legislation; Finally, I was delighted to see the Mersey Gateway bridge get the go ahead. 2. to keep Members of Parliament abreast of It is hugely important to the NW economy but it does illustrate why you scientific affairs. have to invest to save. The modeling shows the beneficial impact to the economy so it will be money well spent. But even today at the design stage we need to invest. Our home based engineering talent can, I am sure, solve the challenges and ensure that issues ranging from design to the toll collection to maintenance are cost effective – if we invest in the necessary research today! CONTENTS DIAMOND – ENHANCING THE SCIENCE BIOREFINING: PREPARING FOR THE EDUCATION FOR ENGINEERING 40 BASE AND INDUSTRIAL COMPETITIVENESS PERFECT STORM 25 Dr Rhys Morgan Lord Broers FRS FREng 2 Professor Robert Edwards ENGINEERING OUR FUTURE NOW! 41 SEVEN POINT PLAN – AN INDUSTRIAL RUSSIA: MODERNISATION THROUGH Barry McGregor STRATEGY FOR UK COMPETITIVENESS 4 SCIENCE AND INNOVATION 26 IMPACT OF CUTS ON PRIVATE AND Lord Browne of Madingley FRS FREng Dr Julia Knights CHARITABLE FUNDING FOR MEDICAL WHY SUSTAINABILITY IS THE KEY TO TOWARDS IMPROVED RESERVOIR SAFETY28 RESEARCH 43 EFFECTIVE, INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE 5 Dr Peter Mason SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION Dr Robert Verkerk FOOD SECURITY: WHY PLANT HEALTH Speech by the Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP 44 SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND POLITICS 8 MATTERS 30 HOUSE OF COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEE Addresses to the P&SC by Lord Oxburgh, Dr Julie Flood ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 48 Julian Huppert MP and Pallab Ghosh ACCREDITATION OF BIOLOGY DEGREES HOUSE OF LORDS SCIENCE AND THE ROYAL SOCIETY’S 350TH ANNIVERSARY Dr Mark Downs 31 TECHNOLOGY SELECT COMMITTEE 50 Martin Rees 14 TEME BANK TRAIL 32 HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY SCIENCE THE TECHNICAL COLLEGE OF THE FUTURE 16 Professor Michael Rosenbaum AND ENVIRONMENT SECTION 52 Professor Sa’ad Medhat A DEMAND DRIVEN INNOVATION MODEL PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE OF SCIENCE THE SCIENCE COUNCIL 18 AND CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT 34 AND TECHNOLOGY 54 Diana Garnham Dr Suzanne King and Mark Dyball SCIENCE DIRECTORY 56 SOUND ANALYTICAL MEASUREMENT FOR CHALLENGED BY CARBON 35 A SAFE, SOLVENT UK 20 Dr Bryan Lovell SCIENCE DIARY 65 Dr Derek Craston SECURING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR A VOLUNTARY APPROACH TO FOOD SAFETY HIGHER EDUCATION 38 Jon Poole 22 Lord Browne of Madingley FRS FREng INNOVATION TO SAVE LIVES IN THE COLLAPSE OF COMPUTING EDUCATION ROTORCRAFT OVER AFGHANISTAN 24 IN SCHOOLS 39 Front cover: NEF Diamond – repositioning and private Dstl Simon Peyton-Jones and Bill Mitchell sector income generation for FE Science in Parliament Vol 67 No 4 Autumn 2010 1 9149 SIP AUTUMN 2010 24/11/10 16:13 Page 4 OPINION DIAMOND - ENHANCING THE SCIENCE BASE AND INDUSTRIAL COMPETITIVENESS Science and engineering are vital to our long-term economic prosperity. The Government faces tough choices, but it is essential that we continue to invest intelligently in our research infrastructure in order to maintain the UK’s position as a world leader in science, and at the same time to improve the way we develop technological innovation for industry. At a time when other areas where we can both technical leadership and advanced countries are investing advance science and help commercial promise, is one Lord Broers more in their science base, industry innovate. Simple many of us share. Our resources ministers and business leaders assessments of impact alone are need to be concentrated if we understand that radical cuts in not sufficient. are to be internationally public spending are likely to competitive. Cable also cited Vince Cable has recently severely damage our global the Harwell Research campus as called for a modified version of competitiveness. This is not an effective example of the Technology and Innovation simply a matter of national ‘business driven high technology Centres recommended by the prestige, but of economic clusters with academic links’. Hauser review. I believe this is necessity. The prospect of This reflects the increasing focus the right approach, and the having to do more with less on industry of facilities such as vision for a national network of means that we have to focus the ISIS neutron source and the well-funded technology centres our publicly-funded research in Diamond Light Source focused on areas of clear 2 Science in Parliament Vol 67 No 4 Autumn 2010 9149 SIP AUTUMN 2010 24/11/10 16:13 Page 5 collaborative work in areas such as drug design, materials engineering, nanotechnology, renewable energy technologies, environmental remediation and conservation of heritage artefacts such as the Mary Rose. Collaboration is the key to Diamond’s success. Academic and industry partners are closely involved in the development synchrotron, the UK’s largest Diamond now works with macromolecular crystallography, and refinement of new science project of recent years. almost 30 companies. For optics and magnetism, technology, and in the operation The light from Diamond, which example, Evotec is working on researchers at Diamond are not of the synchrotron. New extends in wavelength from neurodegenerative disease and only advancing our knowledge experimental stations are being infra-red light to hard X-rays, is anti-infective drug discovery. of the finest details of the world developed on a partnership used to enable a huge range of Vertex, a global biotechnology around us, but are also basis, such as the innovative analytical and microscopical company, uses the synchrotron providing advanced techniques Joint Engineering and techniques. in the design and manufacture that