Foreign Secretary to speak on Science and Globalisation: 27 June 2006

The Foreign Secretary will be speaking at Parliament's major annual science event organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

The Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP will be joined by speakers from Parliament, Government and the scientific community at the RSC's Parliamentary Links Day at the House of Commons on 27 June.

It is the first occasion in many years that a Foreign Secretary has spoken to an audience on science in the House. Last year's event was for the first time addressed by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

RSC chief executive Dr Richard Pike said: "Links Day is the biggest science event held in Parliament and each year it addresses current issues in chemistry and science as a whole.  Its title derives from the 'links' forged between MPs and RSC members from their own constituencies, to strengthen the dialogue between science and Parliament."

This year's theme is Science and Globalisation. President Dr Simon Campbell CBE is speaking on behalf of the RSC. 

The RSC is particularly honoured that Mrs Beckett has agreed to speak. Before becoming Foreign Secretary her work as Secretary of State for the Environment was much involved in tackling major scientific issues like global climate change.

The Government's Foreign Secretary will be joined by the Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society Professor Dame Julia Higgins FRS.

Other speakers include the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser Sir David King, Institute of Physics chief executive Dr Robert Kirby-Harris, Institute of Biology chief executive Professor Alan Malcolm, as well as speakers representing China and the United States.

The event is co-sponsored on an entirely bi-partisan basis by Mr Mark Lancaster MP and Dr Brian Iddon MP, who is an RSC fellow and member of the Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology.