HC 727 UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation

Written evidence submitted by

Rt. Hon. Frank Dobson MP (UKCMRI 23)

Background

1. Ever since the decision was taken in 1976 to site the British Library on surplus railway land fronting onto Euston Road, I have hoped and argued for the surplus land at the back to be devoted to housing and other local uses. Part of that land was subsequently earmarked for housing with the remainder for commercial development.

2. The first I heard of the proposed Research Centre was when I was contacted by Lord Sainsbury, then the Science Minister, who told me that it was intended to re-locate the National Institute for Medical Research from Mill Hill to my constituency. Initially I questioned whether simply effecting such a transfer was the best use of the limited funds in the science budget. Following discussions about the need to rebuild, whether at Mill Hill or elsewhere, and about the advantages of co-locating the laboratory with other major centres of bio-scientific research in the southern tip of my constituency, I eventually accepted that on balance it might be a sound idea. I was told that it was intended that, to accommodate the new laboratory, the Medical Research Council should buy the site in Hampstead Road occupied by the former Temperance Hospital. I pointed out that this seemed to me unlikely to be big enough. Nevertheless the purchase went ahead. It was followed by a feasibility study which proved that the site was indeed too small.

3. I was subsequently telephoned by Professor Sir Colin Blakemore, then Chief Executive of the MRC, who rang for my reaction to the idea that the new laboratory should be located instead on the surplus land at the back of the British Library. I pointed out that half of that site was designated for housing for local people and that if it were to be taken up instead by the laboratory, then the National Temperance Hospital site should be used for housing. I added that a research centre would certainly be more useful to society than the likely alternative use of the non-housing part of the site which would probably have been used for offices for bankers and management consultants. I said that I would support the scheme subject to the proviso about the release of the National Temperance Hospital site for housing and the direct provision of measures to improve the health of local people. I subsequently confirmed that this was my view with Professor Sir Keith Peters at the MRC, with Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz when he became Chief Executive and with representatives of University College London and the Wellcome Trust who were involved in developing the proposal for a collaborative project which also includes Cancer Research UK.

4. The promoters of the project later argued that, as their proposed use of the site was socially useful, they were not obliged to offer the alternative site for housing. They eventually secured planning permission from Camden Council and the Mayor of London without including an offer of alternative housing as part of the Section 106 planning agreement they reached with Camden. That does not mean that Camden, as the planning authority, cannot require the use of some of the National Temperance Hospital site for housing as a condition of any planning permission for the re-development of the site. I am arguing very strongly that they should, and I hope they will.

The Present Position

5. Somers Town, where the UKCMRI is to be situated, lies between Euston and St. Pancras stations. It is very densely populated and the population is one of the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods in London with a high incidence of illness, low life expectancy, high levels of unemployment and related economic and social deprivation. I therefore believe that it is imperative that the UKCMRI contributes directly to relieving some of the problems of its residential neighbours – partly in compensation for the noise and other nuisance during the construction period and partly for the loss of housing. Most of all, it would be a startling criticism of our society for many impoverished people to be living cheek by jowl with a world class, state of the art research centre which could help them in so many ways and yet did not do so. In particular the nearby centre could provide a whole range of local jobs when fully operational as well as during the construction period, a top flight clinic and other measures to improve health and life expectancy and contribute to the development of local schools as centres for teaching the biosciences and stimulating interest in science generally.

6. I therefore very much welcome the co-operative approach by those promoting the project and the inclusion of a wide range of practical measures to help the locality, set out in the Section 106 agreement to which the planning consent is subject. I hope that the Select Committee will feel able to endorse these measures and urge those involved to pursue them enthusiastically and consistently over many years.

7. The main proposals designed to benefit local people are:

a) The Living Centre – to be located on the west side of the building and dedicated exclusively to improving the health and life chances of local residents, funded by UKCMRI, working to a set of priorities laid down by a community group representing local people, Camden Council, NHS Camden and the Research Centre and drawing upon the vast expertise available in the Research Centre.

b) Jobs – a clear commitment to the local recruitment of as many as possible of the 300 non-research posts at UKCMRI with the annual funding of 5 relevant apprenticeships together with a contribution during the construction period towards 40 apprenticeships recruited via the King’s Cross Construction Skills Centre. UKCMRI would help develop a local procurement code to help local businesses get contracts to supply goods and services.

c) Education and Local Schools – the UKCMRI will have its own teaching and exhibition spaces, including a teaching laboratory with priority given to local schools, and a staff member with the task of promoting the participation of local children together with a scheme for UKCMRI staff to volunteer and mentor. I believe it is particularly important that the presence of the Research Centre enables South Camden Community School, which is presently being rebuilt, to become a major centre for teaching bio-medical sciences.

d) Housing – poor, overcrowded or insecure housing is second only to smoking as a cause of health inequalities. So, particularly in view of the loss of housing land, I welcome the commitment of £3.8m to fund a district energy centre and over a further £1.5m on improving insulation in local flats.

e) General Impact – it is intended to invest around £1m in improvements to the public realm and measures to improve general security in the neighbourhood.

Bio-Security and Terrorism

8. However that brings me to what I believe to be the major outstanding concern of local people which is possible bio-insecurity from accidental discharges and the possibility of terrorism. I have been pursuing these matters with Ministers in both the present and previous governments. Most recently David Willetts, the Minister for Universities and Science, wrote to me to draw attention to the Select Committee’s current inquiry into UKCMRI and emphasised that your terms of reference included inquiring into the risk assessments of the safety of the site. Two of the terrorist bomb outrages on 7 July 2005 occurred nearby, as did earlier ones perpetrated by the IRA. So local people are acutely aware of the general threat of terrorism. Their particular concern is that a terrorist explosion might lead to dangerous discharges from the laboratory, thus posing a greater threat to them and their families than an explosion aimed at some other prominent but ‘non infectious’ target. I hope therefore that you will be able to use your authority to require those responsible, both locally and nationally, for bio-security of the Research Centre to put on the public record their technical assessment of the arrangements for bio-security in the event of any foreseeable terrorist outrage and that they are satisfied with those arrangements.

9. Subject to provisions of the Section 106 Agreement and the requirements on bio-security in paragraphs 7 & 8 above being met, I believe that the laboratory can make a positive contribution to the health, wellbeing, employment and education of local people as well as benefitting the whole of humankind with the product of its research. It would add to what is probably the biggest concentration of biomedical research in the world already being carried out and promoted at University College, Birkbeck College, Cancer Research UK, the Institute of Neurology, the School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the School of Pharmacy, the Institute of Child Health, the Royal Veterinary College, the Wellcome Trust and associated hospitals and clinics in the area.

Rt. Hon. Frank Dobson MP

February 2011