The Royal Astronomical Society supports the call for the creation of a House of Commons Science & Technology Committee.
The RAS deplored the disappearance of the S&T Committee in 2007 when it was morphed into the IUSS Committee, fearing for the impact on the scrutiny of all science across government. The IUSS Committee has acknowledged that this has indeed been difficult - but will prove 'impossible' when it is required to take account of the even wider brief of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills into which DIUS has been merged.
Accordingly the RAS supports the call of the IUSS Committee to create a Science and Technology Select Committee alongside the new Business, Innovation and Skills Committee to ensure the crucial work of science scrutiny across government is maintained.
The President of the RAS, Professor Andy Fabian stated...
' While Science moving to the DBIS may take it closer to the heart of government we are concerned that the claims of fundamental research, on which the long term prosperity of the country depends, will be over-shadowed in this 'super-ministry'. No one doubts Lord Drayson's commitment to support curiosity driven science, and we very much welcome his attendance at Cabinet, but this will be just one of his many responsibilities within the DBIS - let alone the MoD. This makes the need even stronger to create a Committee focused just on Science'. |
