Andrew Jaffe: Leaves on the Line

The UK Parliamentary Select Committee on Science and Technology issued a report on “Scientific Advice, Risk and Evidence Based Policy Making.” Although their press release soft-pedals the issues, The Guardian’s headline says “MPs accuse ministers of twisting science for political purposes” and the article quotes Oxford Lib Dem MP Evan Harris to that effect. He comments that the government likes to use and abuse terms like “Evidence Based” (the editorial stickler in me thinks this should be hyphenated) and the “Precautionary Principle” to spin scientific commentary to their own ends. This is all reminiscent of similar but even more damning accusations in the USA, but all the more remarkable for being produced by politicians themselves. (The actual report is available here.)