Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
Encyclopedia
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
's in-house source of independent, balanced and accessible analysis of public policy issues related to science and technology. POST serves both Houses of Parliament (the House of Commons, and the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
), through output that is apolitical and of potential value to Parliamentarians of all parties. Thorough quality-control ensures that MPs
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and Peers
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
can have confidence in the information should they wish to cite it in debate. These principles are reflected in the structure of POST’s Board with members from the Commons and Lords together with distinguished scientists and engineers from the wider world.
History
In 2009 POST celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special conference on "Images of the Future". The keynote participants were the Hon. Bart Gordon, Chair of the US House of Representatives' Committee on Science and Technology and Dr Jim Dator of the University of Hawaii Futures Research Centre.Since 1939, a group of MPs and peers interested in science and technology, through the first parliamentary "All Party Group" - the UK Parliamentary and Scientific Committee had encouraged UK Parliamentarians to explore the implications of scientific developments for society and public policy, but as the UK economy became more dependent on technological progress, and the negative effects of technology (especially on the environment) became more apparent, it was felt that UK Parliament needed its own resources on such issues. Parliamentarians not only required access to knowledge and insights into the implications of technology for their constituents and society, but also needed to exercise their scrutiny functions over legislation and administration. This thinking was also influenced by the fact that specialised parliamentary science and technology organisations already existed overseas.
P&S members (Sir Ian Lloyd MP
Ian Lloyd (UK politician)
Sir Ian Stewart Lloyd was a British Conservative Party politician. Born in South Africa to English parents, he worked as a civil servant in South Africa before moving permanently to the UK. He served as a backbench Member of Parliament for constituencies near Portsmouth nearly 30 years, from...
, Sir Trevor Skeet MP
Trevor Skeet
Sir Trevor Herbert Harry Skeet was a New Zealand lawyer and a British Conservative politician.Skeet was born in New Zealand and was educated at King's College, Auckland and New Zealand University. He served with the New Zealand Army and Navy during World War II...
, Sir Gerry Vaughan MP
Gerard Folliott Vaughan
Sir Gerard Folliot Vaughan was a psychiatrist and UK politician, who reached ministerial rank during the Thatcher administration...
, Lords Kennet, Gregson and Flowers
Brian Flowers, Baron Flowers
Brian Hilton Flowers, Baron Flowers FRS was a British physicist and academican.-Early life and studies:The son of Reverend Harold Joseph Flowers, he was educated at the Bishop Gore School in Swansea and at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a Master of Arts...
among others) visited already established organisations in the US, Germany and France, and this reinforced their view that modern Parliaments needed their own ‘intelligence’ on science and technology-related issues. Initially they asked the then Thatcher government
Thatcher Ministry
Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom between 4 May 1979 and 28 November 1990, during which time she led a Conservative government. She was the first woman to hold that office...
to fund such services at Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
but were asked first to demonstrate a real need. This led to the P&S creating a charitable foundation to raise funds from P&S members; the reaction was sufficiently positive to be able to recruit a Director, Professor Michael Norton, on April 1 1989 and POST was established.
POST began with a modest staff of the Director and a secretary and was supported by fundraising. By 1992, POST was attracting more resources and had recruited 3 specialist science advisers and begun its fellowship programme with the UK research councils
Research Council
The UK Research Councils, of which there are currently seven, are publicly-funded agencies responsible for co-ordinating and funding particular areas of research, including the arts, humanities, all areas of science and engineering...
. In 1992 the House of Commons Information Committee, later supported by the House of Lords, recommended that Parliament should fund POST for 3 years, and a subsequent review in 1995 extended this for a further 5 years. This was the result of POST demonstrating real interest and demand from MPs and peers. From 1997 the chair of the POST board was appointed by government Whips. Previous chairs have been Dr Ian Gibson MP
Ian Gibson (politician)
Ian Gibson is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich North from 1997 to 2009...
1997-2001, Dr Phyllis Starkey MP
Phyllis Starkey
Phyllis Margaret Starkey is a British Labour party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes South West from 1997 to 2010. She had previously served as Leader of Oxford City Council....
2001-2005, and Dr Ashok Kumar MP 2005-2010. In 1998 Professor David Cope took over as Director of POST. In 2001 both Houses decided that POST should be established as a permanent bicameral
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
institution.
Science and Technology in Parliament
Most parliamentarians do not have a scientific or technological background but science and technology issues are increasingly integral to public policy. Parliamentarians are bombarded daily with lobbying, public enquiries and media stories about science and technology. These cover diverse areas such as medical advances, environmental issues and global communications. POST helps parliamentarians examine such issues effectively. By providing information resources, in depth analysis and impartial advice. POST works closely with a wide range of organisations involved in science and technology, including Select Committees, all-party parliamentary groupsAll-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
, government departments
Departments of the United Kingdom Government
Her Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom contains a number of Cabinet ministers who are usually called secretaries of state when they are in charge of Government departments called ministerial departments...
, scientific societies, policy think tanks
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
, business, academia and research funders.
POST's aim
POST's aim is to inform parliamentary debate through:- Publishing POSTnotes (short briefing notes) and longer reports. POSTnotes can be downloaded from the publications section of the POST website. Both focus on current science and technology issues and aim to anticipate policy implications for parliamentarians.
- Supporting Select Committees, with informal advice, oral briefings, data analyses, background papers or follow-up research. Committees may approach POST for such advice at any stage in an inquiry.
- Informing both Houses on public dialogue activities in science and technology.
- Organising discussions to stimulate debate on a wide range of topical issues, from small working groups to large lectures.
- Horizon-scanning to anticipate issues of science and technology that are likely to impact on policy
How POST works
A parliamentary Board guides POST's choice of subjects. A team of advisers conduct analyses, drawing on a wide range of external expertise. All reports and POSTnotes are externally peer reviewed, and scrutinised by the Board before publication.POST's work falls into four areas:
- Biological Sciences and Health
- Physical Sciences, IT and Communications
- Environment and Energy
- Science Policy
International activities
POST is a member of the European Parliamentary Technology AssessmentEuropean Parliamentary Technology Assessment
The European Parliamentary Technology Assessment is a network of technology assessment institutions specialising in advising parliamentary bodies in Europe.- Objectives :...
network, which brings together parliamentary organisations throughout Europe sharing information and working on joint projects. POST also liaises with science and technology organisations across the world.
From November 2005 to 2009, POST, collaborating with four of its sister organisations - at the Danish
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
, Dutch
States-General of the Netherlands
The States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral legislature of the Netherlands, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The parliament meets in at the Binnenhof in The Hague. The archaic Dutch word "staten" originally related to the feudal classes in which medieval...
, Flemish
Flemish Parliament
The Flemish Parliament constitutes the legislative power in Flanders, for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and a cultural community of Belgium The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: , and formerly called Flemish Council or Vlaamse Raad) constitutes the...
and German
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
Parliaments - has been providing technology assessment
Technology assessment
Technology assessment Technology assessment Technology assessment (TA, German Tenteractive, and communicative process that aims to contribute to the formation of public and political opinion on societal aspects of science and technology.- General description :...
services to the Science and Technology Options Assessment
Science and Technology Options Assessment
The Science and Technology Options Assessment panel is a committee of members of the European Parliament devoted to all issues related to technology assessment and science assessment.-Role:...
unit of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
.
POST Africa Programme
From 2001 POST received a growing number of requests for advice from parliamentarians in developing countries. It became clear that a real need existed to strengthen capacity in developing country parliaments. In 2005, POST held discussions on this issue with the Gatsby Foundation, which led to a special initiative to assist African Parliaments, and other organisations in their countries, in building parliamentary capacity to handle policy issues related to science and technology. At a time when there is growing awareness of the importance of science and technology in decision making, as demonstrated by, for example, the focus on science, technology and innovation at the African UnionAfrican Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
summit meeting in January 2007, this programme continues to contribute towards the overall objective of ensuring that parliaments have the capacity to scrutinise decision making processes and act as the national fora for discussion and debate on the broad implications of issues with a basis in science and technology. By sharing information and best practice with overseas parliaments and assemblies, the programme supports one of the primary objectives of the House: to promote public knowledge and understanding of the work and role of Parliament through the provision of information and access.
The POST Board
(Appointed 2005-2010) with some details below of the new Board, as of summer 2010The POST Board oversees POST's objectives, outputs and future work programme. It meets several times a year. The Board comprises:
- 14 parliamentarians drawn from the House of Commons (10) and the House of Lords (4), roughly reflecting the balance of parties in Parliament.
- Leading non-parliamentarians from the science and technology community.
- Representatives of the House of Lords and the Department of Information Services of the House of Commons.
Officers
- Chair: Dr. Ashok Kumar MP (until March 2010 †) Dr Kumar died suddenly on 15th March 2010.
- Vice-Chairman: Professor the Lord WinstonRobert WinstonRobert Maurice Lipson Winston, Baron Winston is a British professor, medical doctor, scientist, television presenter and politician.-Early life and education :...
- Director: Professor David Cope
House of Commons
Chair designate - Adam Afriyie MPRepresenting the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee - Andrew Miller MP
First representative of the House of Commons Administration Committee - Dr Philip Lee MP
Non-parliamentary Board Members
- Professor Frances R. Balkwill
- Sir David Davies, CBE, FREng, FRS
- Professor Jim Norton, FIEE, FRSA
- Professor Ekhard K.H. Salje, FRSEkhard SaljeProfessor Ekhard Karl Hermann Salje, FRS, , is Professor of Mineralogy and Petrology and former Head of the Department of Earth Sciences, Cambridge University.-Education and career:...
Ex-officio Board Members
- Mr John Pullinger, for the Department of Information Services
- Christine Salmon, Clerk of Select Committees, House of Lords
- Mr Christopher Barclay, for the Librarian, House of Commons
Permanent staff
POST has six permanent science advisers, covering the fields of biology and health; physical sciences, IT and communications; environment and energy; and science policy. Science advisers generally have a postgraduate qualification and science policy experience.Fellows
POST runs formal fellowship schemes with scientific societies and research councils, whereby PhD students can spend three months working at POST through an extension of their maintenance grants. These include:Arts and Humanities Research Council
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is a UK Research Council and NDPB and is the largest UK public funder of non-medical bioscience...
- British Ecological SocietyBritish Ecological SocietyThe British Ecological Society is a learned society in the field of ecology that was founded in 1913. It was the first ecological society in the world. The society's original objective was "to promote and foster the study of Ecology in its widest sense" and this remains the central theme guiding...
- British Psychological SocietyBritish Psychological SocietyThe British Psychological Society is a representative body for psychologists and psychology in the United Kingdom. The BPS is also a Registered Charity and, along with advantages, this also imposes certain constraints on what the society can and cannot do...
- Economic and Social Research CouncilEconomic and Social Research CouncilThe Economic and Social Research Council is one of the seven Research Councils in the United Kingdom. It receives most of its funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and provides funding and support for research and training work in social and economic issues, such as...
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research CouncilEngineering and Physical Sciences Research CouncilThe Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council is a British Research Council that provides government funding for grants to undertake research and postgraduate degrees in engineering and the physical sciences , mainly to universities in the United Kingdom...
- Medical Research CouncilMedical Research Council (UK)The Medical Research Council is a publicly-funded agency responsible for co-ordinating and funding medical research in the United Kingdom. It is one of seven Research Councils in the UK and is answerable to, although politically independent from, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
- Natural Environment Research CouncilNatural Environment Research CouncilThe Natural Environment Research Council is a British research council that supports research, training and knowledge transfer activities in the environmental sciences.-History:...
- Royal Society of ChemistryRoyal Society of ChemistryThe Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...
- The Institute of Food Science and Technology
- The Wellcome TrustWellcome TrustThe Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
(From 2008) POST 20th Anniversary Open Fellowship Application (for one year only). For more information on fellowship applications see the 'Working for POST' section of the POST website.