Scientists week in Westminster

Three UCL researchers report on their week in Westminster, the first part of a Royal Society scheme to build bridges between parliamentarians, civil servants and some of the best science research workers in the UK. Dr Emily Nurse (UCL Physics & Astronomy), Dr Craig Childs (UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering) and Dr Chris Arridge (UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory) each won the opportunity to shadow an MP or civil servant, to see for themselves how science informs government policy. Here they lay bare their eye-opening experiences, and why they have changed their opinions of the government. ?I was paired with Gavin Barwell , the new Conservative MP for Croydon Central. Five things I learnt during my week in Westminster: 1. There are a lot of scientific governmental and parliamentary bodies! The ones we learnt about include: Chief Scientific Advisers Committee; Science Advisory Councils and Committees; Council for Science and Technology; Science and Engineering Advice in Emergencies (SAGE); Science and Engineering Assurance programme (SEA); Foresight Projects; Foresight Horizon scanning; the House of Commons and House of Lords Select Committees; House of Commons Library; The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST).. etc! Wow? and, to be honest, I?m still very hazy on the subtle differences between them all.