The Royal Society of Chemistry was quoted yesterday (15 January) in the House of Commons.

MP Dr Brian Iddon employed a quote by RSC chief executive Dr Richard Pike to underline a point during a debate on science teaching.

Dr Iddon, MP for Bolton South-East, used a remark made by Richard Pike which had appeared in The Guardian newspaper last month, to support his own call in Parliament for higher standards in science teaching and for excitement to return to science teaching in the classroom.

He read out Dr Pike's comment to the newspaper: "The dramatic slippage of the UK to the 14th place in the league for science teaching should be seen against the backdrop of numerous, often failed, uncoordinated, initiatives, and reluctance within the whole science community to stand back and look at education from a holistic viewpoint."

Dr Iddon said: "There is a lot of goodwill out there in industry and commerce, and in the teaching fraternity, and we need to tap it to the advantage of all those students who show an interest in pursuing a science career".