§ Dr. GibsonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps the Government will take to ensure that the public acceptance of biotechnology features in the discussions of the European Commission relating to its ethical implications. [15339]
§ Mr. BattleThe debate which has surrounded the European Commission's proposal for a Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions has highlighted a number of ethical issues which surrounded this technology. Therefore, I announced on 24 November that my Department would be sponsoring a consultation initiative to seek public views on biological research.
My ultimate goal is to engage members of the public in debate to enable us to assess the issues that are of concern to a lay audience. However, I feel that an important pre-cursor to this is to involve interested parties active in the debate to add to the credibility that an inclusive approach will offer.
720WI shall be hosting an event in the New Year to discuss with groups active in the biosciences and science communication how we can best develop the public activity, which is planned for next summer.
§ Dr. KumarTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council's progress in addressing the shortage of biochemical engineers. [19238]
§ Mr. BattleLast year, the Office of Science and Technology, the Research Councils and The Royal Society commissioned a survey of postgraduate career paths to contribute to the forward planning of training needs. This will be published in the near future, and the sponsors will be considering its results. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is also undertaking its own research programme on the needs of particular industrial sectors. In all subject areas, the supply of first degree graduates is a factor.
The BBSRC supports postgraduate and postdoctoral training to meet the needs of its research, industrial and educational user communities for highly trained scientists and engineers. The Council has fixed the current level of its overall postgraduate provision at 2,000 studentships which it considers to be in line with those communities' needs. The BBSRC's scientific committees, which comprise experts from both industry and academia, advise on the needs for trained personnel in specific sectors of science and engineering, and allocate research studentships accordingly on an annual basis. The BBSRC also makes awards under the CASE and Industrial CASE schemes which link industry and academia in training and ensure that training is directly relevant to the needs of user industry. Further opportunities for training in biochemical engineering are available through the Council's participation in, and promotion of, the Teaching Company Scheme, Integrated Graduate Development Scheme and joint Industrial Fellowships scheme with EPSRC and the Royal Society, all of which are market driven by the needs of the user community.
§ Dr. KumarTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the members of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council who are members of the Council's(a) Engineering and Biological Systems Committee and (b) Strategy Board, giving their engineering or biological science background. [19239]
§ Mr. BattleNo members of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) are also members of the Engineering and Biological Systems Committee. There are no Council members on any of the BBSRC's science Committees and Directorates.
Three members of the Council are members of the Strategy Board. Professor Sir Brian Follett, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick, has led research teams and taught at the Universities of Bristol, Leeds, Wales and Washington State and published over 250 papers on biological clocks and reproductive physiology. Mr. Guy Walker has been employed in the food industry since 1961, most recently as National Manager for Unilever in the UK. He is also President of the Food and Drink Federation. The BBSRC's Chief Executive, Professor Ray Baker, is a Council member and chairman of the Strategy Board. He is an organic and medicinal chemist with careers in both academia and 721W industry. Prior to joining BBSRC he was Executive Director of Medicinal Chemistry at the Neurosciences Centre of Merck Sharp and Dohme at Harlow, Essex.