26/06/08 Save British Science
Ian Pearson MP, Minister for Science, used the creation of Save British Science, now the Campaign for Science & Engineering, to question the Conservative’s record on science in response to a question by Adam Afriyie MP, Shadow Minister for Science, about the STFC funding crisis. Commenting CaSE’s Director, Nick Dusic, said ”Save British Science was formed in response to underinvestment in science by Conservative Governments. Although Labour Governments have increased the science budget over the last decade, there is still a long way to go before the Government achieves its target of 2.5% of GDP being invested in R&D. CaSE is looking for all parties to put forward ambitious funding and policy proposals to make the UK a world leader in science and engineering. The STFC funding crisis has put the UK’s standing in particle physics and astronomy in jeopardy. The Government needs to take its share of the responsibility as it agreed the STFC’s funding settlement and the delivery plan that created this mess. It is now time for a solution to the funding crisis before ‘save’ is needed to be used again in the science community.”

25/06/08 Biosecurity
Commenting on the IUSS Committee report on Biosecurity in UK Research Laboratories CaSE’s Director, Nick Dusic, said “The ongoing running cost of any laboratory needs to be factored in before it is built, but this is especially true for high containment laboratories. The Government needs to increase its investment in its laboratories and staff so that the UK can successfully carry out research into human and animal pathogens.”

24/06/08 Laboratory of Molecular Biology
CaSE welcomed the announcement by John Denham that the LMB will receive funding necessary to complete its expansion and redevelopment.

23/06/08 QAA Report
In three Outcomes from institutional audit papers published by the QAA it found evidence for solid achievement but some worries in assessment and marking practices, external examiners reports and the rapid growth in the recruitment of international students to higher education. CaSE will be examining issues regarding the recruitment of international students in its forthcoming Opinion Forum on Attracting, Educating and Collaborating with International Scientists and Engineers.

19/06/08 Energy Research
Commenting on the IUSS Committee report on Renewable Electricity-Generation Technologies CaSE’s Director, Nick Dusic, said “I support the Committee’s recommendation that EPSRC funding should not be earmarked for certain initiatives by Government, such as the Energy Technologies Institute. DIUS and BERR need to work together and fund departmental initiatives from their own R&D budgets and leave the Science Budget to the discretion of the Research Councils.”

18/06/08 CaSE attended the Rolls-Royce Science Prize.

17/06/08 Government's response to Science Budget Allocations Report
CaSE welcomed the Government's commitment to fundamental research and the Haldane Principle within its response to the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee's report on the Science Budget Allocations. However, it remains deeply concerned both about the process and the implications of the 2008-2011 science budget allocations. Commenting on the Government's response, Nick Dusic, CaSE's Director, said "The STFC funding crisis has cast light on the science budget allocation process. The Government should have responded by agreeing to make the process transparent by publishing any guidance to Research Councils. Without this information we do not know if the Haldane Principle is being applied in practice and who should be held accountable when problems arise. Problems have arisen due to the STFC's funding allocation and delivery plan and it is critical that the Government and the STFC resolve any issues identified by the Wakeham Review."

17/06/08 Science and Mathematics Education
The evidence from Ofsted's report on Success in Science and the DCSF's Review of Mathematics backs up CaSE's long standing position that science and mathematics teachers need to be trained in the subjects they teach. CaSE welcomes various Government proposals to improve the state of science and mathematics teaching, but it must act with greater urgency if we are going to have the skilled population we need for the future.

06/06/08 Nick Dusic, CaSE's Director, met with a Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills to discuss the Science Budget Allocations, Innovation White Paper and CaSE's forthcoming Opinion Forum on International Scientists and Engineers.

03/06/08 CaSE attended the launch of Darwin200 at the Natural History Museum.

03/06/08 School Survey
CaSE was concerned by the findings of the School Survey published today. The survey found that there is still a long way to go before there are enough trained science and mathematics teachers. Commenting on the report, CaSE's Assistant Director, Dr Hilary Leevers, said: “It is vitally important that the Government continues to introduce more measures to increase the number of specialist science and mathematics teachers. Unfortunately, the various initiatives currently running have not yet had the required level of impact.”
read CaSE comment

02/06/08 Report on Mathematics
CaSE attended the launch of the Reform report on The Value of Mathematics. Michael Gove, Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, commented on CaSE's work during his speech. After the event, David Hawksett, CaSE Membership Officer, said "They say you cannot lie with numbers and the conclusions of Reform’s report were frighteningly clear. According to the report, the shallowness of most maths teaching has led to a grave shortage of higher level mathematicians with knock on recruitment problems in science, engineering and the financial sector. If this trend cannot be reversed then we are, in the words of one delegate, ‘in big trouble’."
read the report