Being more engaged with Parliament.

One of the reasons I wanted to take on the VP external relations role was because I’ve always felt strongly that scientists shouldn’t be such wallflowers when a largely non science parliament makes policy decisions regarding science, technology and engineering….and don’t get me started about statistics…..

So I was quite excited to learn that the IPEM has representation at the Lords Parliamentary Science and Technology committee.  I wrote about this in blog No.4.  Last week Elspeth Bartlett (IPEM:Communications Officer) and I went along to a workshop organised by the Science Council and the Lords Science and Technology committee about engaging with parliament.

The workshop itself was the first one they had done and possibly a little mis-aimed at times but we did learn more about how the information makes its way into the Lords and then in to the Commons and finally hopefully into law. Click here to find out more.  http://www.parliament.uk/hlscience

The upshot of the afternoon was: If you feel really strongly about anything, you can write directly to the committee itself and petition them about a particular topic.

For example for those of you who follow Ben Goldacre’s blog or on twitter you will know that he feels very strongly about all the unpublished data that drug companies hold. He petitioned the committee and gave his evidence, along with others, last year

Ben Goldacre

http://www.badscience.net/2013/04/my-evidence-to-the-uk-parliamentary-select-committee-inquiry-into-missing-trial-data/

The published report can be downloaded here http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/science-technology/Clinical%20trials%20combined.pdf

Obviously, for the biggest impact we would want a topic to come from the IPEM HQ! May be we should ask the office to do a simple poll to ask members what they think IPEM should be petitioning this committee about.