Politicians must understand how to use a ¡°scientific approach¡± to policymaking rather than relying on ¡°ideological¡± or ¡°tribal¡± intuitions, according to a former shadow science minister.

Adam Afriyie, who became Conservative MP for Windsor in 2005 after a career in information technology, said that his ¡°whole world changed¡± upon entering Parliament.

¡°I suddenly began to realise that the way politics works is not quite the same as how science works, or technology works ¨C or even how sound reason or straight lines work,¡± Mr Afriyie told a conference in London on Parliament and academic research on 2 November.

Mr Afriyie is the chairman of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, which offers MPs peer-reviewed briefings on scientific issues. ?

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He said that it was crucial that politicians understood the ¡°scientific approach¡± to policymaking.

Rather than simply relying on their preconceived ideas, politicians needed to say to themselves: ¡°I believe it should be that way, but let me set this up as an idea, and let me test it against the evidence¡±, Mr Afriyie argued.

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¡°I think it¡¯s really important that politicians understand that approach to politics and policymaking as well as the ideological, tribal approach, which, sadly, becomes necessary at times,¡± he added.

Mr Afriyie was shadow science and innovation minister from 2007 to 2010, during which he attracted for saying that ministers should be able to dismiss scientific advisers ¡°even if they just don¡¯t like them¡±.

His comments followed the sacking of scientist David Nutt from his position of head of the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs after he criticised the government¡¯s decision to reclassify cannabis from grade C to grade B.

Another speaker at ¡°Research Impact and Parliament¡± was Jane Elliott, chief executive of the Economic and Social Research Council.

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She questioned whether ¡°evidence-based policy¡± was an appropriate term.

Professor Elliott quoted the US political scientist Kenneth Prewitt, who has argued that many other non-scientific factors such as personal experiences, political beliefs and so on also have an impact on policymaking, leading him to suggest that ¡°¡± might be a better term.

david.matthews@tesglobal.com