Support public science
Thousands of Prospect members work in public sector science across the UK.They undertake a vast range of valuable work - from DNA to diet; from cancer to climate change; from lasers to lakes, and much more.
All this science, much of it hidden from the public eye, is carried out in government research institutes, where experts from many disciplines collaborate in a stable and long-term setting.
But the government's increasingly short-sighted, short-term approach - applying the just-in-time philosophy of stacking supermarket shelves to the science base - is placing this valuable legacy and its future in danger.
A shocking 660 posts in public science laboratories have been lost since the year 2000 - and more jobs are under threat.
In recent years, world-leading UK programmes including research into breast cancer, agri-engineering and animal diseases have been closed. Research on the impacts of climate change, pollution and biodiversity all face substantial cuts.
It is not in the national interest to close down so much work of practical application, peer-reviewed for quality, and providing direct support for the UK's international commitments on climate change and the environment. These cuts put the UK at real risk of being unable to respond when the next major health or environmental crisis occurs.
You can download our science briefings and other campaign publications using the links below, or read a little more about the background to those campaign iniatives.
Downloadable resources
Last updated/published: 15/09/2009
Contents include: Stand up for your rights on redundancy terms in the Civil Service (p3); Electricity pensions – Ofgem told to back off (p3); Air engineers at the ALAE vote to join Prospect (p4); Pensions and new recruits are union's focus at TUC (p4); Stress levels soar in energy networks (p4); Prospect warns on future MOD civilian workforce cuts (p5); Union attacks Shadow Defence Secretary's untruths on MOD civil servants (p5); MPs back call to stop VOSA test centre closures (p6); Redundancy and early retirement unfairness in the Civil Service (p16); Pension benefits Pt 1 (19); Clinical negligence (p22); Dangers of aniline ink (p25); Prospect who's who negotiating pitch chart (p26-27)
Last updated/published: 09/04/2009
Eight public sector research institutes were moved into the university sector between 1996 and 2009, with more in the pipeline. Why should you – or anyone else – care about this deeply unglamorous development? Experience from the early transfers shows that every time capability, jobs and sites that carry out important research are lost in the process.
Last updated/published: 10/03/2009
Eight public sector research institutes were moved into the university sector between 1996 and 2009, with more in the pipeline. Why should you – or anyone else – care about this deeply unglamorous development? Experience from the early transfers shows that every time capability, jobs and sites that carry out important research are lost in the process.
Last updated/published: 16/03/2007
In October 2006 the Office of Science and Innovation announced changes to the criteria for eligibility fo research funding. This briefing explains why Prospect believes this change threatens partnership between British scientists and could turn the clock back 20 years.
Last updated/published: 16/03/2007
At least six public sector research institutes have transferred their staff to universities since 1997. Five more are scheduled to do so by April 2008. Is this good or bad for British science?
Last updated/published: 16/03/2007
This map shows the location of public sector labs and sites, with an indication as to whether they are closed or face closure; have suffered redundancies or early retirements; have or will be transferred to a university; will suffer under current funding arrangements; or whose future funding levels are uncertain.
Last updated/published: 12/03/2007
British science has taken three sucker punches since July 2006. In February 2007, £68m was taken away from the research councils - money that had been ring-fenced for science. In October 2006, far-reaching changes were announced to the eligibility criteria for research council funding. And in July 2006, all Defra's agencies and public bodies were instructed to make in-year cuts to their budgets. This briefing looks at the impact of all these cuts.
Last updated/published: 05/12/2006
Prospect recently surveyed almost 1,000 scientists and technologists. This document summarises the findings.
Last updated/published: 28/09/2006
Today there is no central oversight for the health of the nation's science base. Who is looking after British science? Prospect's charter spells out what needs to be done to protect public science.
Last updated/published: 05/09/2006
Thousands of Prospect members work in public sector science across the UK. This briefing offers a snapshot of the vast range of valuable work they do - from DNA to diet; from cancer to climate change; from lasers to lakes, and much more. A shocking 660 posts in public science laboratories have been lost since the year 2000 - and more jobs are under threat. We show where the axe is falling and where it is set to strike in the coming months. In eight case studies, individuals speak out about the impact on their work and personal lives.
Last updated/published: 05/09/2006
This is the third in our series of briefings about public sector science. It looks at the work carried out by scientists in the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which touches many areas of our daily life: water, food, air, land, people, animals and plants.
Last updated/published: 13/06/2006
This briefing document continues Prospect's efforts to highlight the value of public sector science, and to raise awareness of funding cuts and laboratory closures. It focuses on a number of key Scottish research institutes, and was officially launched at a union lobby of the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 14 June 2006.