Science and TechnologyCorrespondence from the Executive Director, National Oceanography Centre to the Chair of the Committee

Thank you for the opportunity to meet with the Science & Technology Committee yesterday to give evidence on the subject of the proposed BAS/NOC merger. I personally felt that I was given a fair hearing and grateful for your chairmanship in that regard. I will not comment on the published report in this letter.

However, I have to say that I was disappointed with the last sentence of the quote in your name relating to the merger,

“Given the world-renowned and respected brand of the British Antarctic Survey it should require the strongest possible case to be made to merge it into a science institution that does not have the same iconic status.”

I appreciate the general thrust of the point you are trying to make as the brand and identity is are important issues and emerge strongly from the consultation. However, whilst it is true that the NOC brand is not as established at the BAS brand, I believe many staff in the NOC would justifiably feel upset, if not insulted, by this remark. It is wide open to be misconstrued as meaning that in your view NOC (as a science institution without the same iconic status as BAS) means an institution whose science quality or importance is of lower status. I am sure you did not mean this, especially given your knowledge of the work of the NOC—but this is how it comes across.

If there is anything you can do to help rectify any unintended connotations of the quote—especially if it were picked up in the media, I would very much appreciate it.

1 November 2012