Sexism is still at large in science and politics

When writing his hit single, I’m sure David Guetta did not mean for the message “Where them girls at” to be applicable to the new Science and Technology Committee (STC). Appointed on the 12th of September, the first eight members of the select committee to be named were all male, with all but one being of white ethnicity and only 20% with a background in science. The lack of diversity and expertise was condemned across many publications and social media platforms, by the public and scientists alike. Dr Helen Czerski, a physicist, oceanographer and broadcaster, wrote- “2017, and diversity is still apparently an alien concept in the Commons. Shame on you.” But who are the Science and Technology Committee? How damaging could this choice be? And most importantly, what is being done to prevent this from happening again?

Select Committees run in both the House of Lords and the House of Commons, with the STC placed within the former. The principal aim of the Science and Technology Committee is to “ensure that Government policy and decision-making are based on good scientific and engineering advice and evidence”. To do so, they produce inquiries relating to work of the Government Office for Science, and other departments where science is concerned. They include statements from members of the public as well as industry experts, and are later responded to by the Government. Current inquiries relate to Research Integrity, Genomics and Algorithms.

Lack of female representation is one area the committee is hoping to address in the remaining places…

Each politcal party is given a number of places to fill in each select committee. The party whips are then asked to invite MPs to volunteer, and if there is a contest for places an election is held. This year only eight were appointed initially to this committee, falling short of the eleven required for a full team.

Lack of female representation is one area the committee is hoping to address in the remaining places. Using data from CaSE (Campaign for Science and Engineering) it is shown that over 30 MP’s hold STEM BSc’s or higher. Of these, 13 are women – over 40% of the make up of the group. None are present on the committee. Norman Lamb, the new chair of the STC, has not been shy in his support of the inherent need for the inclusion of females in the final few positions available, even taking to Twitter to say, “It has to be sorted!”.

Norman Lamb, the new chair of the STC, has not been shy in his support of the inherent need for the inclusion of females…

Lack of science knowledge within the unit is another issue that people are concerned with. Only Darren Jones and Graham Stringer, with backgrounds in Bioscience and Chemistry respectively, hold any links with the subject. Stringer is also known, amongst saying that “dyslexia is cruel fiction”, to be a climate change denier. With 120 MPs listed on CaSE as having an interest or background in STEM and medicine, many believe a more representative committee should have been formed.

Whilst it is all well and good critiquing the selection, due to the nature of how these committees are formed the problem lies deeper within the nomination process and attitudes towards women. In a letter to the Government Chief Whip regarding his concerns, Norman Lamb was as saddened as many that the “diversity of the last election had not been represented in this select committee”. He also called for a review of “the way in which parties invite nominations to encourage an appropriate gender-balance and a wider diversity”, indicating that this is where the true problem lies.

“The problem lies deeper within the nomination process and attitudes towards women…”

Speaking exclusively to the Boar, Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, echoed her fellow party members words and said it was “unfortunate that the Tory and Labour whips did not take diversity into account when choosing who to appoint.” A physics teacher by trade, with a degree in the subject from Imperial College, Layla is also a strong supporter of science innovation and investment, making her interest in this committee greater than some.

The representation of females in Parliament and Science is also a concern of hers. Layla, the Shadow Education Secretary, hit the headlines earlier this month when, while asking a question about free childcare for her constituents at PMQs, the opposite bench broke into jeers and laughs. This again raised questions of sexism and bullying in Parliament. However, it is not the only area where there is a distinct gender divide. In 2016 only 25% of STEM graduates were female, and in recent studies the top method to get more females interested in STEM subjects was for more female role models in these fields. Layla believes that the lack of inclusion of women in the committee “sends entirely the wrong message to women interested in science everywhere, and my plea to them is to consider standing for parliament so that we have a good chance in the future of this never happening again.”

Whatever your opinion on the diversity of this committee, the work it does is still imperative to science in the UK…

As time has elapsed, Vicky Ford has filled one of the remaining spaces on the committee, although Norman Lamb is still “concerned that the lack of diversity will affect the ability of the Committee to perform its role effectively.” Whatever your opinion on the diversity of this committee, the work it does is still imperative to science in the UK, and it would be a shame to see this hindered. However, it has once again highlighted the gender-balance and diversity problems faced not just in Government, but also in science, with many still hoping that one day these issues will be fully addressed.