Comments on: What has the TPA got against molecules, atoms, stars and space?

By: Nigel Stanley

Nigel Stanley — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:01:32 +0000

Well Douglas,

You could read their annual report at http://www.scitech.ac.uk/About/wwd/ar/arContents.aspx

It has much fuller accounts than the TaxPayers’ Alliance ever publish.

But I sincerely hope it doesn’t spend all its money on research. That would mean it was allocating no resources to:
* assessing what makes good research and who are the good researchers
* ensuring that money allocated to research has been spent properly
* publicising its work and facilitating technology transfer to ensure that basic science research can be applied by industry
* encouraging the brightest kids to go into science rather than the City

I never argue that all the public sector is automatically as efficient as it could be.

But these kinds of attacks are simply based on shrinking the state, not getting the best bang for the buck from public spending.

Science is actually something the UK does well. This government has rightly increased spending in this area. It’s not been that controversial (except of course with the TPA).

By: douglas

douglas — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:39:53 +0000

but what exactly does this quango do with £324m of our money? how much actually funds research?

By: What has the TPA got against molecules, atoms, stars and space? | called2account

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:20:07 +0000

[...] What has the TPA got against molecules, atoms, stars and space? | ToUChstone blog: A public policy b…. [...]

By: Nigel Stanley

Nigel Stanley — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:52:46 +0000

I’ve just got it.

The TPA are aliens, and they are worried that they might be rumbled.

By: Tax Research UK » What has the TPA got against molecules, atoms, stars and space?

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:46:15 +0000

[...] What has the TPA got against molecules, atoms, stars and space? | ToUChstone blog: A public policy b…. [...]

By: Clifford Singer

Clifford Singer — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:53:20 +0000

It’s also worth adding that the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council doesn’t even exist anymore. It merged with the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils to form the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

One less quango for the TPA to worry about!