SERIOUS SHORTCOMINGS IN CULTURE DEPARTMENT’S
SCIENTIFIC CULTURE

SBS was today furious – but not surprised – that a review of science in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) had revealed serious shortcomings in the Department’s handling of science and technology.

“The DCMS has clearly been dragging its feet, and ignoring the importance of science,” said Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of SBS, as the Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King, published the Science Review Team’s first report on science in individual Government Departments.

“Today’s report says that seven years after the government’s Guidelines on the Use of Scientific Advice were first published, the DCMS is still ignoring a key aspect, by not drawing on a wide range of advice outside its own four walls.”

“And two and half years after the Government’s Investing in Innovation strategy said that all departments having an appreciable amount of science would appoint a Chief Scientist, the DCMS has still not done so, and has had to be told again to get on with it. The Secretary of State, Tessa Jowell, puts £13 million of taxpayers money into science and technology each year – which is my book is appreciable – but she can’t be bothered to appoint an eminent scientist on a part-time basis to advise her department about science.”

SBS has been highlighting the problems of DCMS’s handling of science for some time.

Two years ago, SBS criticised Tessa Jowell for making off-hand remarks about “fat chemistry teachers” having the spare time to teach other subjects, when in fact, there is a shortage of chemistry teachers – of all sizes.

And earlier this year, SBS pointed out that the British Library – one of the main bodies sponsored by DCMS – has been seeing cuts in its budget despite the growth in demand for the scientific and business information it provides. “It seems hard to believe that the [British Library] will be able to continue to do such a good job of giving researchers access to a whole world of material as [it has] in the past, unless [its] income streams can be enhanced,” SBS said in evidence to the House of Commons in February.

ENDS