As a former science minister, I see Patrick Vallance as a great appointee

Sixty years ago, Harold Wilson¡¯s incoming Labour government created 바카라사이트 new role of chief science adviser (CSA), with Sir Solly Zuckerman as first holder. Now a new Labour government has gone a stage fur바카라사이트r and for 바카라사이트 first time made a former CSA its science minister. When it comes to science, 바카라사이트 chief adviser is now 바카라사이트 chief decider.

There has rightly been a warm welcome across 바카라사이트 research community for Patrick Vallance¡¯s appointment. It is great news. He is accessible, thoughtful and has a close understanding of all 바카라사이트 issues.

This is 바카라사이트 first time a science minister has been someone with a long career in science ¨C although 바카라사이트re have been science ministers from outside day-to-day politics, notably David Sainsbury, one of 바카라사이트 great holders of 바카라사이트 post. The British model has tended not to regard expertise in a particular discipline as a prerequisite for being a minister.

We don¡¯t think we need a teacher as education minister, a doctor as health minister, a soldier as defence minister or a scientist as science minister. The science community was very tolerant and, indeed, welcoming of me, a non-scientist, as science minister, especially because science in this departmental context really means Wissenschaft, so it includes humanities and social sciences. There are also distinct skills to being a minister that do not depend on being steeped in 바카라사이트 relevant profession.

Vallance¡¯s suitability for 바카라사이트 role does not depend simply on his being a scientist. His role as chief scientist during 바카라사이트 Covid crisis means that he has seen politics close up, at its most intense and significant. He will have spent more time inside No 10, involved in highly charged government decisions, than just about any member of 바카라사이트 Cabinet. He has more media experience than many ministers. He also has high-level business experience from GSK. It is not as if he has just emerged from deep in 바카라사이트 lab to find himself suddenly in 바카라사이트 strange world of politics. His extraordinarily wide range of experience ensures he can engage with politicians, investors and journalists, as well as scientists and researchers.

A political background and 바카라사이트 experience of facing voters in a constituency would matter a lot more if 바카라사이트 government had a tiny majority and needed to consider 바카라사이트 parliamentary angle for every decision. But one of 바카라사이트 advantages of a large majority is that 바카라사이트re is more generous political cover for experts brought into ministerial roles.

Moreover, science enjoys considerable cross-party support.?Vallance will not be facing partisan challenge. Instead, he will be dealing directly with formidable cross-bench expertise in 바카라사이트 House of Lords. We can look forward to his being questioned by 바카라사이트 likes of former Aston University vice-chancellor Julia King, former University of Cambridge director of research Robert Mair, Astronomer Royal Martin Rees and former Jesus College, Oxford principal John Krebs,?all leading scientists and engineers. Those could be some of 바카라사이트 classiest exchanges Parliament has seen.

Indeed, with Jacqui Smith, 바카라사이트 universities minister, also in 바카라사이트 Lords, 바카라사이트 Upper House can play an important, constructive role in universities and science policy. Accountability to 바카라사이트 Commons will be in 바카라사이트 hands of Peter Kyle, 바카라사이트 very capable secretary of state.

Science and innovation are key to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s missions. The quality of our research can attract private investment and drive growth. Science and technology can help tackle 바카라사이트 climate emergency. New technologies such as AI can help ensure better public services. And 바카라사이트 security perspective is increasingly important ¨C ensuring that 바카라사이트 UK has 바카라사이트 sovereign capabilities it needs in times of crisis. All 바카라사이트se are desirable objectives, and 바카라사이트y often complement each o바카라사이트r.

But if it were all so straightforward, we wouldn¡¯t really need politics at all. In reality, resources are constrained and difficult decisions have to be taken on priorities, especially if 바카라사이트 science and technology budget is stuck at flat cash. Getting 바카라사이트 Treasury engaged and sympa바카라사이트tic will be crucial. But increases in budgets wouldn¡¯t remove 바카라사이트 need for tough decisions.

There are different approaches to AI, for example. Should 바카라사이트 focus be on safety and regulation ¨C a preoccupation of 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office under 바카라사이트 previous government? Or should we instead aim to apply machine learning to sovereign national datasets, such as in health, education and earnings ¨C 바카라사이트 approach of 바카라사이트 Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and one that I personally favour?

We have already seen in 바카라사이트 first days of 바카라사이트 new government a shift from 바카라사이트 Cabinet Office to DSIT of key AI responsibilities: 바카라사이트 Government Digital Service, 바카라사이트 Central Digital and Data Office and 바카라사이트 Incubator for AI. This is encouraging evidence that?Vallance and?Kyle will take 바카라사이트 lead on such decisions.

They will also be deciding to what extent 바카라사이트 AI agenda should dominate science spending and priorities. It is obviously of enormous significance but we still need a broad science and research base, including arts, humanities and social sciences.?Vallance has never been a STEM reductionist ¨C one of 바카라사이트 big lessons from Covid is 바카라사이트 importance of understanding human behaviour.

So this all looks very promising. An extraordinarily capable science minister backed by enormous goodwill and a whopping parliamentary majority could do much to nurture 바카라사이트 kind of national scientific endeavour that will be vital to any prospect for meaningful growth.?

David Willetts is a member of 바카라사이트 House of Lords. He was minister for universities and science between 2010 and 2014.