Science news updates

In the wake of the Bangladeshi disasters, Sarah Page blogs about the value of UK safety regulation.

Prospect has welcomed plans to bring the National Nuclear Laboratory into direct government control.

Prospect has developed a free App to help would-be apprentices access advice and details of the largest selection of vacancies available via a mobile application.

Less forensic evidence is being analysed, with potential implications for the quality of information available to inform criminal cases, expert witnesses have told MPs.

The government’s policy statement on woodlands and forestry fails to answer three important questions, says Prospect.

The role of scientific advice in government must go to the very heart of ministerial thinking about civil service efficiency and reform, and two recent examples illustrate why, Prospect head of research Sue Ferns said yesterday.

Teams from Newcastle College and Mid Kent College won gold and silver medals respectively at an environmental science competition organised in partnership with Prospect.

Prospect today welcomed the decision by the Natural Environment Research Council not to go ahead with plans to merge the British Antarctic Survey and National Oceanography Centre.

Two unions today raised concerns about the impact on climate science of plans to shed 18 specialist jobs at the British Antarctic Survey and a proposal to merge BAS with the National Oceanography Centre.

The revolution will not be televised – and nor will the Conservative party conference debate on science and innovation – because there isn't one.

Prospect today supported a motion at TUC stressing the vital role of coal to the UK's energy mix and the need for the government to support clean coal technology and carbon capture and storage.

The civil service desperately needs a thorough skills audit if is to provide its specialists with enough resources to keep them, Prospect Deputy General Secretary Dai Hudd argues in a blog on the Guardian Professional website today.

Prospect has called for an active industrial strategy that recognises the central role of high-level science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills in promoting growth.

The lack of detail on Forest Research is the 'black hole' at the heart of today's Forest panel report, says Prospect.

The Government Office for Science has launched the first ever survey of scientists and engineers working in the civil service.

Prospect has said it would not rest until union rights were restored to staff at QinetiQ, the privatised company that supplies technical support to the Ministry of Defence.

Prospect has welcomed an opportunity to forge closer links with The Guardian newspaper's Public Leaders Network, an online resource for senior managers across all public services.

Britain’s civil service has lost its professional edge and needs urgent reform, Prospect said today (Wednesday) in a hard-hitting report, Government That Can – needs people who know how.

Prospect has welcomed the surge of support across political parties for a House of Commons Early Day Motion, which calls on defence contractor QinetiQ to step back from its intention to de-recognise unions at the company. The motion now has 37 signatories from MPs across four parties, including both coalition partners.

If the civil service is to be fit for purpose in the 21^st century then it must value the skills of specialists, co-ordinate policy making across departments and public bodies and recognise the importance of government’s role as an intelligent customer.