Second Special Report
1. The Committee has received the Government's response
to the Last Report from the Science and Technology Committee
(Thirteenth Report, Session 2006-07, HC 1108). The response,
submitted in the form of a memorandum, is attached to this short
Report.
2. In the Last Report, the Science and Technology
Committee expressed disappointment at the exclusion of "science"
from the title of the new Department for Innovation, Universities
and Skills and recommended that this omission be rectified. The
Committee also recommended that the name of the Innovation, Universities
and Skills Committee which replaced it should be similarly altered.
3. The Government response rejects the first recommendation
on the ground that changing the name of the Department after six
months "would not represent an acceptable use of public funds".[1]
However, it goes on to state that the Government is willing to
table a motion to allow the change in name of our own Committee
if we so wish. This is indeed the case and we look forward to
the Government enabling the House of Commons to decide on a motion
to include "Science" in our title at the first available
opportunity
1 See response published below. Back
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