Memorandum submitted by the Royal Society
The Royal Society welcomes this opportunity
to contribute to the initial stages of the inquiry into Defra's
scientific infrastructure. This submission has been prepared from
previous policy work, listed below. We welcome the opportunity
to engage with the Committee as it develops this inquiry further.
ISSUES TO
INVESTIGATE
We think that the suggestions made by the Committee
of areas to investigate are sensible. Within these, we make the
following suggestions for specific areas to consider:
— Whether the Defra family of agencies
and NDPB's is adequately used, including the level of understanding
within Defra of the different roles and responsibilities of the
individual organisations.
— Whether the quality-assurance mechanisms
that Defra has in place for the science undertaken by its executive
agencies are effective.
— Whether Defra's financial support for
its own research institutes, and research within Research Council
Institutes, enables them to make long-term strategic decisions
and maintain capacity for research expertise.
— How non-specialist perceptions of scientific
issues are included in the policy-making process.
— Whether demand for basic science as well
as innovation and other technological development is stimulated
by appropriate policy drivers.
SUGGESTED APPROACH
We suggest that the Committee considers the
use of case-studies to look at these issues, and does not try
to examine every area within Defra's remit. We believe this will
be more effective in identifying areas for commendation or concern,
rather than generalised statements of principle. Good examples
of case-study subjects include:
— infectious diseases in livestock;
— antimicrobial resistance;
— genetically modified crops;
— fisheries and marine environment management;
and
March 2008
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