Adam Afriyie

MP

Caring for people through choice, freedom, enterprise, and strong defence.

Ministers ‘treating scientists like fools’

20-Feb-08, Press Release.

Responding to the news that there will be no new money for physics, Shadow Science and Innovation Minister Adam Afriyie said:

“Having held down the STFC budget and been forced to announce a knee-jerk review, the science minister led us to believe that the situation might change.  We now know that the Government’s review of physics will have no impact on the present funding crisis.

“Unless Ministers are prepared to widen the scope of the review, they must stop citing it to deflect attention from their problems. 

“Ministers are treating scientists like fools.  From my experience of the intellectual capacity of physicists, this is a rather unwise course of action.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. A review into the health of physics was announced on 21^st January 2008. Its terms of reference are available here: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/news/080121press.htm.

2. Speaking before the Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee on 20^th February 2008, science minister Ian Pearson confirmed that there would be no new money for physics outside of the published science budget.

Contact Details:

Telephone: 020 7219 8023

Email: afriyiea@parliament.uk

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