Good morning.
The poet, W H Auden, said, “When I find myself in the company of scientists, I feel like a shabby curate who has strayed by mistake into a drawing room full of dukes.”
I agree with him; I now know how that feels…
Where I disagree with Auden is that he limited himself to scientists.
Engineering is also a truly noble profession.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel is my hero, and in my view the finest civil engineer of all time.
He clearly demonstrated creativity, innovation, technical brilliance, and commercial flair.
And he changed the world.
But the noble work of the engineer is often confused with the vital craft of the mechanic.
It’s in danger of becoming a cliché, but it’s true that engineering today must re-claim its position as an honoured profession in the eyes of the public.
An architect may have drawn the Sydney Opera House but it took a talented engineer to build it.
That’s why it’s a privilege, as well as a pleasure, to be here at Science and Engineering week.
Defence is frequently a magnet for bad news and media feeding frenzies.
And we are sometimes our own worst enemies.
But the public holds our Armed Forces in high esteem.
One of my missions as Minister for Defence Equipment, Support, and Technology is to get the public to hold Defence scientists and engineers in the same high regard.
Almost every week I see things to celebrate in the scientific endeavours they undertake.
I’m also conscious that the equipment we have today is based on the Defence S&T of the recent past.
I’m grateful for the investment made by previous generations in today’s Armed Forces.
I’m conscious of the responsibility I have for future generations.
That’s why protecting the Defence Science and Technology budget has always been my bottom line.
So, as I said in the House of Commons on Monday, and I’m delighted to repeat it today, I can announce that the Defence Science and Technology budget will rise in cash terms over the Comprehensive Spending Review period.
Don’t get me wrong.
After the way the Science budget has been slashed in recent years, we should be aiming to increase investment as soon as we can afford to do so.
Nevertheless, given the appalling financial mess we inherited, protecting this part of the Defence budget to the extent we have is a remarkable achievement.
It brings so many benefits.
Advanced Defence S&T gives us a critical advantage over potential adversaries, and it can help deliver better value for money.
Scientific innovation and engineering ingenuity are often found in surprising places - which is why we have the Centre for Defence Enterprise, which is doing so much to bring innovation to Defence, and proving that value for money and profitability are far from mutually exclusive.
And it offers excellent opportunities to collaborate.
For example, we’re seeing the early benefits of our historic Defence and Security Co-operation Treaty with France.
We expect to commit around 20 million euros each on collaborative research and development across a range of technologies, and new projects under discussion will see the total increase to around 50 million euros each in the next few years.
And a joint PhD programme was launched in February where candidates will investigate common interests and share the results; indeed, I hope we can make use of academia more broadly.
Science and Engineering Week is also a chance to celebrate our own in-house scientists at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory - or Dstl for short.
Dstl performs a vital role in Government for the Defence and Security of the nation.
Yet that work is often highly classified, so out of necessity much of its work goes unnoticed and unreported.
Let me let in a little light in today.
First and foremost, Dstl can be proud of the contribution they are making to the front line.
The quality of the equipment in Afghanistan today is not just good, it’s first class, and that’s the overwhelming view of the commanders and soldiers who use it and rely on it.
From IED detection to protective underwear, Dstl is improving the effectiveness of our Armed Forces and saving lives, and they’re often out there on the front line with our troops seeing at first hand what needs to be done.
For example, Dstl - together with Ferranti Technologies and Agusta Westland - have driven a pioneering approach to the problem of ‘helicopter brownout’ where a pilot loses visual references due to dust or sand.
By using a small, helmet-mounted display to provide a virtual 3D representation of the landing zone that stays fixed to the earth, the pilot will have enhanced situational awareness, reducing the risks when landing in brownout.
I must particularly highlight Dstl’s outstanding work on vehicle protection.
For example, a revolutionary new form of textile armour on vehicles, called TARIAN, has been developed by Dstl and Amsafe UK in Bridport in Dorset, which greatly improves the safety of our forces.
So I’m delighted to announce a £2.6 million MoD contract for TARIAN Quick Shield - perhaps best described as the ‘Bandaid’ for bar armour on vehicles, which is as effective as steel or aluminium.
It is a truly smart solution: stowed easily in the vehicles, it is fitted by the crew without the need for specialist tools, restoring protection without disruption to the mission.
Development continues for a full vehicle armour which would be lighter - reducing fuel use and vehicle maintenance, greatly reducing the cost of operations.
Second, Dstl’s work is not confined to Afghanistan.
For example, Dstl scientists informed DE&S’s decision to procure new armour systems - made from the same material used in carrier bags - to protect Royal Navy personnel from pirates and other asymmetric threats.
Dytecna Engineering Ltd’s C-Shield™ was selected as the preferred system, and it was procured through an Urgent Operational Requirement which in just twelve months went from identifying the threat to front line deployment.
An amazing achievement.
And third, the work of Dstl goes far wider than Defence.
For example, Dstl is heavily involved in UK Defence and Security preparations for next year’s London Olympics.
And it has a Forensic Explosives Laboratory that’s investigated the 21/7 London bombers; the plot to blow up transatlantic aircraft with explosives disguised as drinks; and failed car bomb attacks on nightclubs in London and at Glasgow airport.
In each of these cases, Dstl staff provided crucial evidence in court, without which the prosecutions would have failed.
As you can probably tell, I’m immensely proud of the work that Dstl does - on its own and collaboratively with the private sector.
So I can also announce today that Dstl will remain in Government and continue as a Trading Fund.
Over the last decade, this has proved to be a successful model enabling Dstl’s unique scientific expertise and facilities to be utilised flexibly in support of the MoD and other government customers.
We’ve recently updated their role, in particular to reflect their lead role in formulating, designing, and delivering a coherent and integrated MoD S&T programme.
This means that Dstl are also now shaping and commissioning the research programme on behalf of the MoD, and working with a broad range of suppliers in industry and academia to deliver it.
And we’ve added a new role of championing and developing S&T skills across MoD.
Finally, I must mention our Green Paper on equipment, support and technology for UK Defence and Security, which we launched in December.
It’s a consultation document and we made Science and Technology one of our priorities for discussion because we recognise the vital importance of S&T to our future.
We asked a number of questions.
For example, how we should prioritise, organise, and maximise the value of Defence S&T spending, and I’d be particularly interested in hearing your views.
But in less than two weeks - on 31 March - our consultation period will come to an end.
I urge anyone who has not yet submitted formal comments to do so.
I happened to catch this week’s episode of Jamie Oliver’s ‘Dream School’.
I was terribly moved as I watched the scales drop from the eyes of a girl who failed at school when she discovered how rewarding science can be.
I was also heartened to learn that over 30,000 young people attended last week’s celebration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at ‘The Big Bang’.
These examples give me hope for our future.
I hope this enthusiasm will drive them on to change the world, just as Brunel did.
And I hope that our brightest and best choose to change the world for our Armed Forces.
That’s what Science and Engineering Week is all about for me.
Please check against delivery.