Events over the last couple of weeks have confirmed the view that nanotechnology risk issues are moving sharply up the political agenda in the UK at least.
Firstly, on the 21st February we had a statement in the House of Commons from Ian Pearson, Minister of State (Minister for Science and Innovation) in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). In response to a parliamentary question from Rob Marris, Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton South West
“To ask the Secretary of State …what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on health and safety standards in nanotechnology research development” , Pearson stated
“The Government are committed to understanding any potential risks of nanotechnologies and to managing them within a proportionate regulatory framework”.
To illustrate this, Pearson provided information on the ministerial cross-departmental group that co-ordinates the UK’s programme of research into the health, safety and environmental implications of nanotechnologies. Pearson chairs this group, which brings together Ministers from DEFRA, DH, DWP and BERR.
SAFENANO’s contribution was recognised through a specific mention of the merits of BSI PD 6699-2 - Guide to Safe Handling and Disposal of Manufactured Nanomaterials which was drafted by us for BSI. Pearson commented “[it] provides advice on good practice to those working in laboratories where research on new materials and applications is being undertaken, as this is where exposure to engineered free nanoscale materials is most likely to occur at present”.
The full transcript of the parliamentary discussion can be read in Hansard here.
The following week saw the release of the “Statement by the UK Government about Nanotechnologies”. This surprisingly low key document is actually a pretty good description of how the government is “looking to promote the opportunities of
Nanotechnologies” and how it is “looking to ensure appropriate control of the potential risks of nanotechnologies”. It can be downloaded from the DEFRA website here.
It’s fair to say that the document doesn’t really contain much in the way of new information. Most of what it contains was published in the “Characterising the Potential Risks posed by Engineered Nanoparticles; A Second UK Government Research Report” published in December last year and also available on the DEFRA website.
While the level of intent seems strong, it is disappointing that the commitment to funding appears to be less so. There was a fair bit of hand waving as to what has been spent thus far (no detailed breakdown) and very little of detail of future funding plans for risk aspects. The only figure mentioned in this respect was that the Department of Health will contribute £1.25M over the next five years. A trivial sum when contrasted more than £750M detailed in the “looking to promote” part of the document”.
However, the commitment and interest at Ministerial level is welcomed. Hopefully, by the time the next statement is published, a more coherent funding strategy will be laid out.