Topical question asked in the House of Commons, by Evan Harris (Liberal Democrat). It was answered on Thursday, 20 November 2008 on behalf of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

Topical Questions

Question: Given the Secretary of State's responsibility for science, and given that since the Phillips report on BSE the Government have announced that they will adopt an evidence-based policy and take scientific and other expert advice, is the Secretary of State in any way embarrassed by the Government's decision to reject advice on cannabis reclassification given three times by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, whose advice has never been rejected before?

Answer: I think Ministers must show that they have listened to scientific advice and understand where it comes from, and to which questions the scientists were asked to respond, and, if necessary, should weigh that advice with other factors before making a decision. As the hon. Gentleman knows, I am passionately committed to ensuring that the Government make better use of scientific evidence. I commend to him a report produced last week, at my request, by the Council for Science and Technology on how we can do that. I hope to promote the report's conclusions across government, along with my Ministers and the chief scientific adviser.

Secondary information