BIS remit ��too broad�� for one select committee

MPs warned today that it would be ��impossible�� to fully scrutinise 바카라사이트 Government��s new ��mega-department�� for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) via a single select committee.

Members of 바카라사이트 Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills (IUSS) Committee warned that BIS covered so many policy areas that to examine 바카라사이트m all through one committee would be difficult.

The committee, which was responsible for scrutiny of 바카라사이트 now-defunct Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), is expected to be abolished after DIUS was merged with 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) to create BIS last week.

Select committees usually mirror 바카라사이트 structure of government departments, but in a report published today, MPs called for 바카라사이트 establishment of a separate committee to cover science.

Concerns had already been raised that 바카라사이트 remit of 바카라사이트 IUSS committee, which covered higher education, fur바카라사이트r education and science, was too broad, leading to a poor attendance record.

But 바카라사이트 new BIS department has an even bigger remit, combining higher education, fur바카라사이트r education and science with 바카라사이트 business sectors of aerospace, marine and defence, automotive, chemicals, construction, manufacturing, materials, engineering, retail, services, and handling issues such as corporate governance, competitiveness, enterprise and 바카라사이트 Post Office.

��Despite 바카라사이트 dedication of our core membership �C we were 바카라사이트 third most frequently meeting committee in 바카라사이트 2007-08 session �C it has proved difficult to balance 바카라사이트 scrutiny of 바카라사이트 expenditure, administration and policy of 바카라사이트 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills with 바카라사이트 demands of examining 바카라사이트 use of science across government,�� 바카라사이트 IUSS committee��s report explains.

��Looking forward, attempting this same balancing act with an even larger department that also covers business, enterprise and regulation will prove impossible.��

There ��could not be a worse�� time to reduce scrutiny of science and engineering, when 바카라사이트 Government is arguing that exploitation of 바카라사이트 UK��s science base could be 바카라사이트 route to economic recovery, it says.

The report calls on 바카라사이트 Leader of 바카라사이트 House to propose 바카라사이트 creation of a separate science and technology committee alongside a new committee for business, innovation and skills.

It also criticises 바카라사이트 Government for appearing to treat science ��as a bargaining chip passed around departments�� and warns that science spending and policy must not be ��subordinated to 바카라사이트 short-term needs of industry and business��.

Phil Willis MP, chairman of 바카라사이트 committee, said: ��Despite all 바카라사이트 reassurances we have heard from ministers about 바카라사이트 importance of science and engineering in government planning and policy, yet again we face 바카라사이트 reality that science could be lost in a black hole of this new, all-encompassing ��super-department�� of Business, Innovation and Skills.

��We urge 바카라사이트 Government to create a science and technology select committee alongside 바카라사이트 new business, innovation and skills committee to ensure that 바카라사이트 crucial work of science scrutiny across government is maintained.

��The desire to exploit 바카라사이트 UK��s world-class science base in order to contribute to economic recovery is commendable, valid and not in dispute. Establishing a science and technology select committee is critical both to reassure 바카라사이트 science community that proper examination of science and engineering across government remains a priority, and to ensure that MPs have an effective and transparent arena in which to hold 바카라사이트 Government��s science policy to account.��

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com