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Government Principles on Scientific Advice
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The Government has published a draft set of Principles for Scientific Advice to Government following the controversy surrounding the dismissal of Professor Nutt. Overall the draft Principles are a step in the right direction. However, there is concern about the inclusion that the Government and its scientific advisers should work together to
reach a shared position and neither should act to undermine mutual
trust. For further analysis read the CaSE Notes post.
Professor John Beddington will be looking to incorporate the Principles into the revised Guidelines on Scientific Analysis for Policymaking (see below), which CaSE will be responding to. |
Pre-Budget Report
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The government's Pre Budget Report 2009 announced �600 million of savings to be found in the higher education and science and research budgets. It also annouced an additional investment of �200 million in the Strategic Investment Fund to support innovative industrial projects across the UK.
CaSE's response was that the Chancellor sent mixed signals
about the future of science and innovation in the UK by looking for
a significant cut in investment in the nation's research and skills
base, whilst providing support for innovation that stems from it. |
Voting Science
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Our latest blog post by Hilary Leevers argues that science and engineering issues need to feature in the run up to the General Election and outlines some of the work that CaSE is doing to achieve this. Voters need to know where the parties stand on science and engineering issues and prospective MPs need to become engaged with them before the successful ones enter Westminster.
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CaSE News Published
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The December issue of CaSE News has been published. As well as a round-up of recent science and engineering policy developments, it includes articles by Simon Singh, Tim Bradshaw from the CBI and a CaSE feature on reaching 2.5% of GDP to be invested in R&D.
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CaSE Annual Distinguished Lecture
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The Governments Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor John
Beddington, gave the 2009 CaSE Annual Lecture last month, hosted by the
Wellcome
Trust and sponsored by Engineering UK and Prospect. Titled "Science
in Government: Challenges for the 21st Century", Professor
Beddington spoke about the function and mechanisms of science
advice in government, in the context of three major global issues:
swine flu, food security and climate change.
Slides from Professor Beddington's presentation
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