HC Deb 27 March 2000 vol 347 c13
9. Dr. Ian Gibson (Norwich, North)

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the projects funded by the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts programme. [114860]

The Minister for the Arts (Mr. Alan Howarth)

NESTA is currently funding a series of pilot projects, prior to going live with its full programmes in the very near future, and I can confirm that it is undertaking detailed assessments of the value and effectiveness of each of these projects. I expect NESTA to make a real difference in tapping the creative potential of the country.

Dr. Gibson

My hon. Friend will be aware that last week was science and technology week, when many young scientists went into schools and deprived areas to teach the wonders of the science. They took their equipment with them and showed young people how to use it. When grants are given, will my hon. Friend guarantee that science and technology are not, as opposed to the arts, the Cinderella groups and that the wonders of science are brought, and money given, to deprived schools?

Mr. Howarth

As a distinguished scientist himself, my hon. Friend speaks with authority on this subject and I very much take his point. He will be reassured by the fact that, among the trustees of NESTA, are Sir Martin Rees and Dame Bridget Ogilvie, who have great authority in the scientific field. I entirely agree with my hon. Friend that it is extremely important that we do all that we can to encourage young people to commit themselves to the creative opportunities that scientific study and the pursuit of scientific careers offer. He may agree that one of the unfortunate features of British life has been that, however brilliant our basic science, we seem to have had a national difficulty in getting the benefits of that science out of the laboratory and into the showroom.

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