Science Training for U.K. Parliamentarians Expanded

The Conservative Party, when it was still shadowing the Brown government, indicated that it would require all new Members of Parliament in the party to take some training in basic science concepts as party of their new member training.  This was back in 2008, and would take place after the next election (which was to happen at some unspecified point in the future when the announcement was made).

While there is a new person responsible for science for the Conservatives, the plan will be put into action…and expanded.  The Times Online is reporting that the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) will handle the training.  As a result, all new Members of Parliament, regardless of party, are encouraged to attend, along with staff.  The session (perhaps the first of several) will take place next Tuesday.

Besides new Science and Universities Minister Dave Willetts, several distinguished U.K. science policy leaders will lead the event.  Professor John Beddington (Government Chief Scientific Adviser), Phil Willis (former chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee), and members of the board of the POST will lead discussions on topics  like scientific uncertainty; use and abuse of statistics; science in evidence-based policy making; and key science issues for the new Parliament.

While the Conservative Party announcement in 2008 suggested the training would be mandatory, I don’t have that impression from this announcement.  Hopefully there is an excellent turnout next Tuesday.