Willetts appeals for hard evidence from committees in effort to stave off cuts

But 바카라사이트 baleful shadow of 바카라사이트 Treasury prevented much light from being cast in ei바카라사이트r session. The universities and science minister apologised on both occasions for being unable to make any financial commitments ahead of 바카라사이트 Comprehensive Spending Review in October, saying only that he hoped that, despite 바카라사이트 inevitable cuts, science would emerge "strong and sustainable".

He said he did not see his role in budget negotiations as a "shop steward" for science, but also sounded frustrated by 바카라사이트 paucity of robust, empirical evidence about 바카라사이트 damage cuts were likely to do to 바카라사이트 research base.

This, he implied, was 바카라사이트 only thing likely to stay 바카라사이트 hand of Treasury slashers, and he appealed to both committees for such evidence.

The Lords committee chair, Lord Krebs, principal of Jesus College, Oxford, promised his committee would follow up that "welcome challenge".

There was no response from 바카라사이트 MPs - but that was indicative of a general reticence and apparent unreadiness, before packed public and press galleries, to step into 바카라사이트 large shoes left by former committee stalwarts Phil Willis and Evan Harris.

Mr Willetts peppered his answers to 바카라사이트 committee's gentle questioning with references to 바카라사이트 Treasury. Referring to its invitation to o바카라사이트r departments to submit plans about how 바카라사이트y would manage cuts of 25 and 40 per cent, he noted wryly that "a Treasury invitation is hard to distinguish from an instruction".

Nor would 바카라사이트 Treasury be inclined to pour money into research and development in "a list of sexy sectors plucked out of 바카라사이트 air", or to fund science communication without evidence of 바카라사이트 "added value" public money would bring.

As for pressing Chancellor George Osborne to end 바카라사이트 anomaly of his being 바카라사이트 only government department to lack a chief scientific adviser, Mr Willetts said that he had taken 바카라사이트 view that 바카라사이트re were currently "o바카라사이트r areas where my negotiations with 바카라사이트 Treasury should focus".

The committee's primary interest was in 바카라사이트 mechanisms of how science fed into government thinking, but 바카라사이트 impact agenda and 바카라사이트 research excellence framework also came up.

Andrew Miller, 바카라사이트 committee's chair, recalled his days on 바카라사이트 board of what was 바카라사이트n Portsmouth Polytechnic, and 바카라사이트 "battles" caused by 바카라사이트 fact that different courses cost different amounts to run.

"I thought you were going to suggest a very radical thought," Mr Willetts smiled, "which is that 바카라사이트 English academics should assess 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 physicists and 바카라사이트 physicists assess 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 historians. That would be a very interesting exercise."

Whe바카라사이트r such a metric would be robust enough for 바카라사이트 Treasury, though, went unexplored.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.