Science and Technology Committee

Science and Technology Committee

The Science and Technology Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom responsible for scrutinising policy and administration related to science and technology matters. It engages with institutions such as the Royal Society, Wellcome Trust, European Research Council, Institute of Physics, and Royal Academy of Engineering through inquiries and reports. The committee interacts with individuals including Dame Sally Davies, Sir Paul Nurse, Lord David Willetts, Sir Mark Walport, and Baroness Flather while examining legislation like the Research and Development Expenditure Credit and events such as the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.

History

The committee traces origins to select committees created in the 1960s alongside debates involving Harold Wilson, Department of Education and Science, Maurice Goldsmith, Science Policy Research Unit, and the establishment of bodies such as the Science and Technology Act 1965. Its evolution involved interactions with figures like Sir Henry Tizard, Lord Haldane, Sir John C. Eccles, and organisations including the Medical Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council, Agricultural Research Council, and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Major historical inquiries referenced events such as the Falklands War, the Chernobyl disaster, and the BSE crisis which prompted scrutiny of Food Standards Agency policy and institutions like the Veterinary Laboratories Agency and Public Health England. The committee’s remit expanded following reports influenced by Sir Austin Bradford Hill methodologies and reviews by panels chaired by Lord Rothschild and Sir Derek Wanless.

Mandate and Functions

The committee examines policy, administration, and expenditure relating to departments and agencies including the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the UK Research and Innovation, the National Physical Laboratory, and the Met Office. It conducts inquiries into topics such as artificial intelligence, genome editing, nuclear energy, climate change, spaceflight, quantum computing, and public health emergencies including influenza outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. The committee summons witnesses from institutions such as University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, King's College London, London School of Economics, and industrial actors like Rolls-Royce Holdings, BAE Systems, GSK, AstraZeneca, and BP plc. It reviews legislation including the Higher Education and Research Act 2017 and contributes to policy debates involving Horizon Europe, Brexit, European Research Area, and international agreements like the Paris Agreement.

Membership and Structure

Membership comprises Members of Parliament drawn from parties represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom including members of Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, and occasionally crossbenchers from the House of Lords when giving evidence. Chairs have included figures with profiles linked to Science Minister (United Kingdom), Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, and selectors such as the Select Committee on Science and Technology. The committee interfaces with bodies including Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, and the InterAcademy Partnership. Secretariat support comes from staff drawn from the House of Commons Library and clerks who liaise with agencies such as UKRI and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Key Reports and Inquiries

Notable reports addressed topics like the UK’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, scrutiny of genetically modified food, assessments of nuclear energy policy following incidents at facilities similar in profile to Sellafield, reviews of Horizon 2020 participation, and inquiries into artificial intelligence governance referencing models developed at DeepMind and research by scholars linked to Alan Turing Institute. Other inquiries assessed the scientific advice during the BSE crisis, lessons from the 2001 outbreak, and investigations into the role of peer review involving journals like Nature (journal), The Lancet (journal), and committees such as the Committee on Publication Ethics. Reports have cited experts including Sir Martin Rees, Dame Julia Goodfellow, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, and organisations like Wellcome Trust and Economic and Social Research Council.

Impact and Criticism

The committee’s reports have influenced policy changes affecting agencies such as UK Research and Innovation, regulatory reforms associated with Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and funding priorities impacting institutions like Wellcome Trust and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. It has been credited with shaping parliamentary scrutiny on issues raised by Lord May of Oxford, Sir John Beddington, and Professor Sheila Rowan. Criticisms include accusations of politicisation by members of Conservative Party and Labour Party, debates over the timeliness of inquiries during crises like COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, and concerns raised by stakeholders such as Universities UK and Research Councils UK about the committee’s influence on academic autonomy and funding allocation. Academic commentators from London School of Economics and University College London have discussed tensions between parliamentary oversight and scientific independence.

Category:Select Committees of the British House of Commons