Minister backs merger of main engineering institutions

Science minister Lord Sainsbury has confirmed the Government's support for the "vitally important" proposed merger between the IEE, Institution of Mechanical Engineers and IIE that would create a new organisation with a quarter of a million members. The endorsement came on the evening of Sir David Brown's inaugural address as IEE President for 2003/2004, during which Lord Sainsbury was formally appointed an IEE Honorary Fellow. "This vitally important development reflects the fact that there is an increasing convergence between the disciplines within engineering, and I am sure it will unify and strengthen the profession as a whole," the Minister said. "It should facilitate the increasingly international dimension of the three institutions' work and help to capitalise on emerging technologies." IEE TS