Conservative party to send all new MPs on a course to improve science awarness
Branwen Hide
Thursday, 20 November 2008 11:59 UTC
According to an article in November 17th online edition of the Times, conservative MPs are going to get compulsory lessons in scientific literacy in an attempt to strengthen evidence-based policy-making. The classes will cover scientific methods and basic concepts.
The full article is available here
An accompany nature Networks blog can be found here
Updated 20 November 2008 11:59 UTC
-
Replies
-
What about all the MPs from other parties? Are they just going to remain scientifically illiterate?
-
There is an interesting article writen by Hannah Devlin in Dec 3rd edition of Research Fortnight that highlights the need for MPs to have traning not just in the sciences but in how research funding works such as the impact of full economic costing etc.
The article is about Stephen Williams, MP for Bristol North who is one of twelve pairs in the Royal Society’s scientist-MP partnership scheme. Though he is well versed on most higher education issues he has a distinct lack of undertanding regarding full economic costing, and confessed to " …forgetting what the research council acronyms stand for".
However,he is very supportive of research and science, and is particularly keen to give a leg up to the newer universities that are trying to develop research capacity.
-
