UK Minister Attempts to Calm Fears of the Scientific Community. (July 12, 2007)

    On July 9 the new science minister, Ian Pearson, told the House of Commons regarding the UK's new Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), "I express a personal oath that science will run through and be at the heart of the new department's policies. [We will not be] lacking in making sure that science is regarded as being of the utmost importance to our department."

Mr Pearson was responding to the Liberal Democrat chairman of the Commons science and technology select committee,  Phil Willis' concern that "the [DIUS] will be dominated by the university agenda... and that the focus on science and innovation may be diminished".

Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society, is also exercised  saying that the omission of the word "science" from the title of the new department sent a worrying signal about the future role of science in the department.

The science minister also assured the Commons: "The route from science to innovation and economic importance will not be lost. I anticipate a strong working relationship not only with the other two new departments - the department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Children, Schools and Families - but more widely across government."

Mr Willis also challenged the minister with: "My second concern is about the future of parliamentary scrutiny of science. The science and technology committee has a dual role, for departmental and cross-government scrutiny of science, yet it appears that although departmental scrutiny may be accommodated within a DIUS select committee, the important scrutiny of science across government will disappear."

Mr Pearson replied: ""Let me put on the record the great value that the government attach to the work of the committee... Whatever arrangements are proposed through the usual channels, I hope that value will be recognised and reflected in future arrangements, and that there will be the opportunity and ability for science to be examined right across government," and he promised,  "I will not get corralled in the DIUS. I fully agree that science policy needs to go right across government."

But as regards the new office for the government's chief scientific advisor set up under DIUS, which has been announced by the prime minister, Gordon Brown, Mr Pearson gave no clarification on Willis' questions on the remit of the office, and whether it would have cross-departmental responsibilities.

As in most matters of governmental policy the devil will be in the detail and that remains to be set down.