Voice of the Future 2012
Earlier this month 120 young people masqueraded as members of the House of Commons Science and Technology committee. We were given the unique opportunity to quiz a stellar (in Parliamentary terms) line up on the future of science in Britain. The signs that we were being taken seriously were good; on a day when his other duties included presiding over Prime Ministers Questions, the speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, gave an enthusiastic introduction. The first witnesses before the committee were science and universities minister David Willetts and one of the new departmental chief scientific advisors, Prof John Perkins. It was brave of David Willetts to defend NHS homeopathic remedies in front of such a potentially partisan crowd. However his justification, that homeopaths can vote, is one that any politician is sure to understand. It was also gratifying to hear the minister responsible for science…