SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT The Journal of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee sip SPRING 2015 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 A century of energy professionalism Energy makes life what it is today and for a century the Energy Institute has been the place to be for energy professionals to develop knowledge, skills and good practice. www.energyinst.org Follow us: Join us: @EnergyInstitute Energy Institute snooker players who can skim is giving in to lobbying by the black into the pocket, but vested interests and I hope the SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT this is something else. science community protests Somebody likened it to loudly. Sadly, it remains the throwing a hammer in the air case that some politicians sip in London and hitting a nail in (including in the UK) put Beijing! personal prejudice ahead of By the time you are reading evidence based policy. this we may have started to I will finish on a positive note. The Journal of the Parliamentary and Andrew Miller MP Scientific Committee. Chairman, Parliamentary and understand what has been In 2014 we celebrated our The Committee is an Associate Scientific Committee uncovered about the history of 75th anniversary. HRH The Parliamentary Group of members of both Houses of Parliament and British the solar system, but what a I am writing this in Duke of Edinburgh has been members of the European Parliament, story it will be. an Honorary Member for more representatives of scientific and November because it has technical institutions, industrial been a momentous week At the same time, we than 50 years, and served as organisations and universities. discovered that the EU is our President in 1989. We Very few scientific dispensing with scientific were delighted that he agreed experiments take ten years. advice as a basis for decision to host a reception at But today we learned that a making. Anne Glover will be Buckingham Palace on 11th 300 million mile journey of an returning to the UK (since November to mark this. 150 object the size of my fridge Scotland remains part of it!). representatives of our had successfully landed on a members were able to marvel Anne, like all balanced Science in Parliament has two main meteor travelling at more than at the works of art in the objectives: scientists, has taken a positive 30,000 mph, ten years after it Picture Gallery, and to enjoy 1. to inform the scientific and industrial approach to GM crops, and communities of activities within left Earth. wine, canapés, music and Parliament of a scientific nature and the Select Committee, which I company. of the progress of relevant I have always had a sneaking chair, will be producing a legislation; report on this topic. It is little The P&SC is in good shape 2. to keep Members of Parliament admiration for darts players abreast of scientific affairs. who can hit the target, or short of disgraceful that the EU for its next quarter century. CONTENTS HOOKING UP HULL 2 ANNUAL LUNCHEON OF THE ENERGY STORAGE 28 Mac Andrade PARLIAMENTARY AND SCIENTIFIC Addresses to the P&SC by Dr Jonathan Radcliffe and COMMITTEE 16 Professor Toby Peters 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 3 CAN CONSISTENT APPRENTICESHIP DEMENTIA 32 Addresses to the P&SC by Professor Alistair Burns, FRANCE BANS USAGE OF PESTICIDES 6 EXPERIENCE BE ACHIEVED TO DRIVE Dr Claire Mouchot Dr Simon Ridley and Professor Martin Knapp PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE? 18 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE Professor Sa’ad Medhat HOUSE OF LORDS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SELECT COMMITTEE 38 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF SOIL 2015? 8 CLIMATE CHANGE, FOOD SECURITY Matt Aitkenhead, Willie Towers, Helaina Black and Liz Baggs AND BIG DATA 19 HOUSE OF COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEE Irina Calos, SIN Officer, Los Angeles ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 39 PUTTING UK PHARMACOLOGY ON UK & BRAZIL: PARTNERS IN SCIENCE, THE MAP 10 PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE OF SCIENCE Katharine Richardson SPACE & INNOVATION 20 AND TECHNOLOGY 42 Dr Julia Knights, SIN Director, Brazil MEDICAL PHYSICISTS AND BIOMEDICAL HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY SCIENCE ROYAL SOCIETY PAIRING SCHEME 22 ENGINEERS 12 AND ENVIRONMENT SECTION 45 Professor Ruth Aylett and Ian Murray MP Dr Anna Barnes and Dr Elspeth Bartlett SELECTED DEBATES 47 DOES THE UK HAVE THE POWERING HUMAN PROGRESS – PAST, INFRASTRUCTURE IT NEEDS? 24 PRESENT AND FUTURE 14 SCIENCE DIRECTORY 47 Address to the P&SC by Nick Baveystock Ian Marchant SCIENCE DIARY 56 EBOLA VIRUS – AN UPDATE 26 The covers of this issue are sponsored by the British Society of Soil Science, the Energy Institute, the New Engineering Foundation and the British Pharmacological Society. Science in Parliament Vol 72 No 1 Spring 2015 1 HOOKING UP HULL: THE HULL ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT What makes the Hull WHAT ELECTRIFICATION and, ultimately, the delivery of Electrification Project (HEP) WILL BRING services. stand out from almost all other Electrification will bring the It is essential that the electrification schemes is that it opportunity to run more efficient momentum of the Hull is intended that the initial electric rolling stock with higher Electrification Project is development and construction passenger capacity. It will link up maintained so that it can be costs will be almost entirely the new line to other parts of delivered as soon as possible. the ‘electric spine’, improving privately funded, with FirstGroup journeys between Hull and the The HEP team is committed to securing major funding from capital, as well as to Leeds, an ambitious timetable and is infrastructure group Amey. Manchester and Liverpool – and working with its stakeholders, including MPs along the route, Mac Andrade As well as delivering a better even more so once HS2 and Director of Infrastructure at service to users of the railway – TransPennine electrification come and partners in Network Rail, to FirstGroup meet this. But it is also and the wider economic into force. incumbent upon the benefits that it will bring to Hull As well as the long term Government to agree a – the HEP is therefore good for benefits of both temporary guaranteed price with the HEP the UK taxpayer, protected from (construction) workers and before the end of this Last March the the up-front capital expense and permanent job creation that Parliament. financial risk involved with such would come with an expanded Secretary of State A commitment from the a project. Hull to London service, for Transport, electrification will also help attract Chancellor of the Exchequer to Patrick McLoughlin, WHY HULL? investment, and can be an electrify the Hull to Selby line in the Budget on 18 March would Until the conception of the important driver of growth to the announced Hull and Humber Region. ensure the Project’s long-term Hull Electrification Project, Hull Already enjoying a greater profile progress and help mitigate Government support was the only major city in the as the host of the 2017 City of against political risks involved – by way of a £2.4m north of England for which there Culture, Hull is undergoing an with any major infrastructure was no plan to electrify its main grant – for the economic and cultural scheme that coincides with a electrification of 33 railway line. What made this renaissance, something that general election and a change in more significant was that the FirstGroup – through First Hull government. miles of railway diesel services running to and Trains and the HEP – is proud to between Hull and from Hull would be be a part of. WIN-WIN incompatible with the lines The electrification of the Hull to Selby. Welcomed by In order for the city to realise its being electrified across the wider Selby railway line is a win-win for potential, modern railway the tax-payer, the Government, all, this was north, between Selby and infrastructure is needed. The the rail passenger, and the city of Liverpool and York, via testament to the speedy delivery of the HEP can Hull; its residents and Manchester and Leeds. Far from Department for only further the ambitions of the businesses, as well as those who benefiting Hull, this inequality of city and its businesses. Transport’s live and work throughout the infrastructure would have had a Humber region. prioritisation of negative impact on the city’s URGENCY: MAKING It is essential that the Project economy. ELECTRIFICATION railway HAPPEN progresses as swiftly as possible electrification for First Hull Trains, which currently Patrick McLoughlin’s to ensure benefits are delivered operates on the line between announcement last March without any unnecessary delay. 2014 to 2019. Hull and London King’s Cross, is represented a milestone for the FirstGroup prides itself on the already one of the highest- HEP. way it works with its partners ranked operators in terms of With Government support, it and stakeholders. Our Hull customer satisfaction. The meant FirstGroup’s work to Electrification Project team will addition of electrification will secure nearly £100m of private continue to work in partnership enable First Hull Trains to make funding can be released to in order to make Hull major improvements on its progress the Project through the electrification a reality. excellent service. feasibility phases, construction 2 Science in Parliament Vol 72 No 1 Spring 2015 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee has often been described as the “doyen” of APPGs. It is certainly the oldest – having celebrated its 75th anniversary last year.