- 30/04/2014
- Posted by: Valerie Vaz MP
- Category: News
Valerie hosted an event at the House of Commons with the Royal Society of Chemistry on Wednesday 30 April 2014.
Valerie said:
“I was delighted to host the event at the House of Commons to draw attention to the importance of scientific research to the UK economy and to Walsall South. The event was very well attended by Members from all parties including the Minister for Education, Edward Timpson MP and the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Douglas Alexander MP.”
“A highlight of the event was a series of exciting chemistry experiments performed by Dr Hal Sosabowski, from the University of Brighton. Dr Sosabowski explained the science behind glow-sticks, a liquid nitrogen shower and a flaming methane mamba of soap bubbles. The MPs who attended told me that they were very impressed with Dr Sosabowski’s demonstration. I am hopeful that Dr Sosabowski’s roadshow for the MPs will help them to encourage children in their constituencies to take up science and chemistry in particular.”
“I hosted the event on behalf of the Royal Society of Chemistry who said that It is crucial that chemistry in the UK is properly funded, having fallen behind our international competitors in recent years. There is an urgent need for a long-term strategy for UK science funding to drive economic growth and create jobs, which ensures there is sufficient financial support for training and research in the sciences.”
Professor Lesley Yellowlees, President of the Royal Society of Chemistry said:
“Britain is a world leader in science. The chemical sector alone sustains 500,000 jobs across the country. But over the last decades public investment in scientific research has fallen behind our international competitors. We want to see a commitment from all sides of the debate to increase total government investment in research in the long-term to set Britain back on the path to science-fuelled growth.”
This is an article covering the event: http://www.reagent.co.uk/blog/chemistry-at-the-houses-of-parliament/