the noble Lord Drayson who works as minister for science appeared on the wireless programme Today to extol the virtues of science and make a bid to to change its perception among the population. The noble Lord, who unlike many in Government has experience in the field in which he ministers said: ‘..many people really believe that science can have a big impact on our future. We really need to change this if we going to fulfill the full potential of our country.’

’What we’re trying to do is change the perception, bust the myth about elitism…and show that science is relevant to everyone.

’We expect jobs focused on maths and science to increase by a third in the next few years. We want to get to the stage where people talk about science the way they talk about football, about art. It’d be quite cool for people to understand how to bend it like Beckham for example.

‘We are seeing that the proportion of children sticking to science through school is increasing. But they really don’t see how science is relevant to the development of their own careers.’

The interview is here, scroll to 0720.

I look forward to the British population debating science with the passion they currently reserve for soccer. One of my favourite ways of whiling away an hour over my Saturday evening sherry is to listen to 606 on BBC Radio Five Live, where Britons sometimes hit Ciceronian heights of oratory in their appreciation of Association Football.

When biological sciences have their own hour long phone in on prime time national radio – possibly called Sex Oh Sex – we will know that this branch of the sciences has arrived in the public consciousness in the manner wished by the noble Lord.

Having changed the public conversation about science, it would be wise for the Minister to apply his mind and ministerial team to improving the employment conditions of young scientists on the ill-paid, insecure postdoctoral treadmill. Fine ministerial words on the dead ball abilities of a fading soccer star are welcome, but they butter no Pastinaca.