HL Deb 08 March 2004 vol 658 cc63-4WS
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville)

My right honourable friend the Prime Minister today appointed 16 members to the Council for Science and Technology following its recent review. The appointments represent a wide range of experience from the scientific community, business and charities. The 16 appointments are:

  • Professor Sir John Beringer CBE
  • Professor Geoffrey Boulton OBE FRS FRSE
  • Professor Janet Finch CBE DL AcSS
  • Mr Andrew Gould
  • Professor Wendy Hall CBE FREng
  • Dr Hermann Hauser FREng CBE CPhys FInstP
  • Dr Dieter Helm
  • Professor Alan Hughes
  • Dr Sue Ion OBE FREng
  • Dr Rob Margetts CBE FREng
  • Sir Paul Nurse FRS
  • Sir Keith Peters FRS PMedSci
  • Dr Raj Rajagopal FREng CEng FIEE FIMechE FIE FCMI
  • WS 64
  • Professor Michael Sterling FREng
  • Professor Kathy Sykes
  • Dr Mark Walport FMedSci

The Council for Science and Technology is government's top level independent advisory body on strategic policy for science, engineering and technology. Its advice has been instrumental in helping the Government develop their present strategies for improving the excellence of the research base and putting it on a sustainable footing, for improving science education and for making effective use of science, engineering and technology. On 22 July 2003 the Government announced updated terms of reference and a new organisation for the CST to reflect the needs of the UK Government and the devolved administrations for advice in coming years.

The CST will report to the Prime Minister and the First Ministers of the devolved administrations. The 16 members will choose one of their number to act as co-chair alongside the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King.

Full details of the CST's terms of reference and organisation, and biographies of the members, can be found at www.cst.gov.uk.

Decisions on appointments have been made following open competition and wide consultation with key players.