Science cuts 'damaging' UK reputation

The Lovell telescope is among several UK science facilities which are under threat

A committee of MPs has branded the UK an "unreliable" and "incompetent" partner for international scientific research, following the publication of a report set up to investigate the "funding crisis" in physics research.

The study concluded that "urgent changes must be made", laying much of the blame on Professor Keith Mason, chief executive of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) which oversees some of the largest science centres in Britain.

The STFC was faced with a deficit of £80m following a government spending review last year, and has since been looking for ways to save money.

Proposed cost savings threaten the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, the Daresbury National Laboratory and the UK's Hawaii-based infrared telescope.

MPs on the Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee lambasted the handling of the cost saving process, citing "weaknesses" in the " secretive" review which they described as "inadequate".

"We are at a loss to understand how Professor Mason could think that secretive reviews would have anything other than a divisive effect on the community and undermine confidence in any of his future decisions," said the Committee.

"This raises serious questions about the role and performance of the chief executive, especially his ability to retain the confidence of the scientific community and to carry through the necessary changes."

Professor Mason explained that he had already taken action in response to the report.

"A number of issues highlighted by the report have already been recognised by STFC, and I have taken decisive actions to address them over the past few months," he said.