Posted by s.hettrick on 5 July 2013 - 2:52pm

On Tuesday 9 July David Willetts MP, Minister of State for Science and Universities at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), is to be questioned by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee on strategy and funding for medium and large scale scientific infrastructure.The Software Sustainability Institute has already submitted evidence to the committee.

The committee will ask the minister if the UK could benefit from greater engagement in international projects.

The committee, which has been investigating the state of, and funding plans for, large and medium sized infrastructure and e-infrastructure, will also ask Mr Willetts if important investment decisions are sufficiently clear, strategic and transparent.

At 11.40am on Tuesday 9 July, Mr Willetts will also be asked questions such as:

• How do you intend to allocate the £0.5 billion of capital investment for scientific infrastructure, which was announced in the June Spending Review?
• What steps are being taken to address the UK’s perceived under-representation in international and EU scientific infrastructure projects?
• What can be done to improve access for industry to scientific infrastructure and collaborative funding of infrastructure projects?

The evidence session will take place at 11:40am on Tuesday 9 July in Committee Room 4 of the House of Lords.