Parliament: Science and Technology (Hansard, 26 January 1995)

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, the Government have sponsored a large variety of initiatives under the campaign which they launched in January last year to promote greater understanding and appreciation of science, engineering and technology. The aim of the campaign is to reach all members of society, including of course Members of both Houses of Parliament.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, I compliment the noble Baroness on her elevation to the Front Bench. I hope that she will have an exceedingly worthwhile job while she is there. I also thank thank her for her reply, which was very useful indeed. Is she aware that the scientific office and POST do remarkably good work, but that 1178 their activities do not seem intensive enough? Is she further aware that businessmen involved in science and technology would like to see a larger department of state giving them and their employees more information? Can that be considered? Perhaps a sub-department of state could be created with particular emphasis on examining defence. That would be of help to British businessmen involved in science and technology.

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his gracious remarks. I am glad that he commends, as I do, the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. As regards the office being made larger, we believe that it is already probably large enough. But there is no reason at all why one cannot put forward to that office more suggestions for further discussions.

§ Lord Porter of Luddenham
My Lords, does the noble Baroness agree that it may now be rather late to teach many of us old dogs new tricks? Does she further agree that the problem started many years ago when we were 16 years of age or even earlier, with the narrowness of our educational system? Is she aware of the proposals that have been put forward by the Royal Society, the British Academy, the Salters' Institute of Industrial Chemistry and the Confederation of British Industry, to name but a few, which would promote a common understanding of science and technology and the arts from the age of 16 and for the rest of life? Have the Government any plans to implement these many proposals?

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Porter, may be right in saying that perhaps some of us are too old to learn new tricks, but he certainly learnt his tricks very well when he was younger because he is very distinguished. I understand that he has a Nobel Prize for Chemistry. I believe that the noble Lord will agree with me that this question is rather wide of the original Question, but the noble Lord was courteous in that he gave me advance notice of it. I have made one or two inquiries. I am happy to tell him that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education and her Ministers are engaged in a debate with those concerned with the qualification structure for those aged 16 years of age and upwards. Indeed, meetings have been arranged already with most of the groups which the noble Lord mentioned.

§ Baroness Platt of Writtle
My Lords, is my noble friend aware of the quality and variety of reports that come from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, covering such subjects as radiotherapy and cancer treatment, urban air pollution, and national identity card technology? They are available to all Members of both Houses of Parliament and provide very good background material to those who need an understanding of science and technology if they are to consider a wide variety of solutions to the problems of the day.

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend Lady Platt for bringing that point to our attention. I have a list of all those publications with me, but it would take far too long to read it out. 1179 However, your Lordships might like to know that only 21 Members of this House have listed science and technology as an interest and that only 27 Members of another place have done so. However, the fact is that 250 Members of both Houses receive the material to which my noble friend referred. The list is still open to any other Member who would like to receive such material.

§ Lord Dainton
My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that this House participates in and contributes financially to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, which serves both Houses? Indeed, we do so as a result of a recommendation of some two-and-a-half years ago from the Library and Computers Sub-Committee of this House. The noble Baroness may not be aware that there is a great deal of anxiety about the fact that that preliminary agreement runs out in 1996. We hope very much that that office will continue. Perhaps the noble Baroness will give her weight to seeking to secure the continuance of that office, which, as has already been mentioned, is valuable from all points of view. Is the noble Baroness aware that this House has been unique in establishing its own Select Committee on Science and Technology, which produces reports which carry a great deal of weight, and which has done so for well over 10 years?
Finally, the noble Baroness may or may not be aware that there are yet other sources of information. I refer to the professional bodies which have already responded to the needs of Parliament by setting up committees specifically to produce documents which are available to Members of both Houses. They are also very willing to brief us. I refer to bodies such as the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Physics. There is no lack of sources of information. Although these are early days, it is absolutely essential to continue to support such efforts.

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, I am aware of the points which the noble Lord has raised. In 1992, both Houses of Parliament accepted the recommendation of the House of Commons Information Committee that Parliament should provide funding for the work of POST for three years from 1993 to 1996. It is not a government body and both Houses will have to consider the extension of financial support for POST after April 1996.

Viscount Chelmsford
My Lords, is my noble friend aware of the work of two other all-party parliamentary associations with which I am involved? I refer to the Parliamentary Information Technology Committee, which is part of that on science and technology. It has been going for 10 years and currently has 97 members across both Houses. I refer also to EURIN, which was formed only a year ago and deals with the European aspects of information technology. It is in its first year but now has 75 members: 39 Members of Parliament, 14 Members of the European Parliament—which we think is extremely important for the future since the 1180 European Parliament is gaining in power—and 22 Peers. I think my noble friend will agree that there is a lot of scientific knowledge in this House.

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for bringing all that information to the attention of this House.

§ Lord Ironside
My Lords—

Noble Lords
Cross-Benches!

§ Lord Ironside
My Lords, is it not the case that if Members are interested in science, they can always join the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee?

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, yes.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for her answers. Does she agree that there seems to be great interest in science and technology on all sides of the House? There is massive interest outside. All I am asking is that the noble Baroness will consider all that has been said here this afternoon to see whether some improvements can be made in the arrangements whereby those outside Parliament can have contact with the Members of both Houses on this subject.

§ Baroness Miller of Hendon
My Lords, I shall do so.