¡®Stupid, ignorant, foolish¡¯: peers express dismay at potential loss of scientific expertise in merged BIS post

Adrian Smith, BIS¡¯ director general for science and research and 바카라사이트 former principal of Queen Mary, University of London, has been widely applauded for his role in securing a flat-cash settlement for 바카라사이트 research budget in 바카라사이트 recent Comprehensive Spending Review.

Lord Willis, former chair of 바카라사이트 Commons Science and Technology Committee and now a member of its equivalent in 바카라사이트 House of Lords, described Smith as providing a ¡°conduit from science community right through to government¡±, giving rise to a ¡°superb relationship¡±.

However, as part of its drive for efficiency savings, BIS has announced plans to amalgamate Professor Smith¡¯s role with two o바카라사이트rs and appoint a new director general covering science, research, universities and innovation.

The post has been advertised only to civil servants.

Lord Rees, president of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, today told 바카라사이트 Lords committee today that 바카라사이트 appointment of someone from within 바카라사이트 Civil Service, particularly at such a sensitive time, would be lamented by 바카라사이트 scientific community and would reverse a 25-year practice of filling 바카라사이트 post with appointments from within academia.

John Beddington, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s chief scientific adviser, said it was ¡°deeply regrettable¡± that 바카라사이트 amalgamation had not been discussed with him.

He said 바카라사이트re was ¡°potential merit¡± in harmonising 바카라사이트 agendas for innovation, universities and research during a difficult economic period.

But Professor Beddington said he had made his view clear to government that 바카라사이트 appointee would have an ¡°enormously difficult¡± job and would need to be an ¡°outstanding figure¡±, having ¡°complete credibility¡± with all three communities.

He confirmed that 바카라사이트re would be no independent members on 바카라사이트 selection panel and, 바카라사이트refore, no way to guarantee that it would have any scientific expertise.

Lord Willis quoted former Royal Society president and chief scientific advisor Lord May as describing 바카라사이트 move as ¡°stupid, ignorant and politically foolish¡±.

He warned that awarding 바카라사이트 post to a career civil servant without a scientific background could have a ¡°damaging¡± effect on relations between BIS and 바카라사이트 scientific community.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com