| London,
25 February/GNN/ -- DEPARTMENT
OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY News Release (Reference P/2005/066)
issued by the Government News Network on 25 February
2005
Ensuring the safe and ethical development of new technologies
so that
their benefits can be rapidly gained is a priority
for the Government, Lord
Sainsbury, Science and Innovation Minister, said today
at the launch of the
Science Museum's new nanotechnology exhibition.
Lord
Sainsbury set out the Government's response to the
Royal Society and
Royal Academy of Engineering joint report on nanotechnology,
and outlined
the work and research programme that the Government
will undertake to ensure
the safe and ethical use of nanotechnologies. This
includes:
*
a review of current safety regulations to make sure
that safeguards for
people's health and the environment remain robust;
and
*
a new cross Government group to co-ordinate all
aspects of research into
nanoscience to underpin safety assessments.
The
DTI's new Sciencewise scheme will also lead the way
in establishing
public dialogue to help the scientific community and
the public to explore
issues relating to the regulation of nanotechnologies.
The first projects
will be announced shortly.
Lord
Sainsbury said:
"The
UK needs safety and regulatory systems that address
public aspirations
and concerns and which command public confidence during
the development
of nanotechnologies.
"People
in this country have a positive view of the benefits
of science but
are concerned that with the rapid development of new
technologies, Government
does not have time to put in place any necessary new
regulations. Starting
at an early stage with nanotechnology, we will be
able to ensure the safe
and ethical development of this major scientific area
of research, which is
likely to bring important benefits to people in many
different fields."
The
new nanotechnology exhibition at the National Science
Museum,
"Nanotechnology - small science, big deal"
is sponsored by the DTI and aims
to explain the emerging technology in a clear and
unambiguous way.
Source: DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY
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