BSE inquiry tests British science
27 August 1998
BSE inquiry tests British science
THE BSE Inquiry has put British science under critical review, reports The Guardian in an analysis of the evidence collected.
The number of scientists involved in food and agricultural research fell from 6500 to 3500 in the space of ten years.
Sir Anthony Epstein, Emiritus Professor of Pathology at Bristol, said: “Support for basic scientific research has been consistently run down and restricted in the UK since the early 1980s.”
The paper reports that witnesses detailed how scientists fighting for the same money were reluctant to share ideas. Another question was raised about peer review, which is used to prioritise grant applications.
The report throws up a lack of co-ordination in the research effort on BSE. It also shows up petty political in-fighting between bureaucrats and scientists.
The BSE Inquiry is timetabled to end next Spring. The report will be presented to ministers by next June.
- BSE expert slams MAFFs “culture of secrecy”, FWi, 17 March, 1998
- Scientists refused access to Government BSE data, FWi, 13 March, 1998
- The Guardian 27/08/98 page 6/7 (Online section)