Review of Government nanotech policy seeks responses

The Council for Science and Technology (CST) is to carry out a review of the Government’s handling of nanotechnology issues, in a review led by Sir John Beringer. This comes two years after publication of ‘Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties’ – a report from the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering that assessed the state of nanotechnology in the UK. The report made a number of recommendations, to which the Government responded. This review will assess the progress made in taking this forward. CST has opened a call for evidence, which will invite comment on: how the Government has responded to the commitments it made two years ago; and whether any significant technology developments have taken place since the report was published. “How the Government is handling issues of nanotechnology and nanoscience will influence the UK’s competitiveness in this rapidly growing field,” said Sir John Beringer, who will lead the review. The deadline for submitting written evidence is Monday 2 October. CST expects to publish its report next spring.