Whitehall needs more scientists to compete with China: chief adviser

Sir Patrick Vallance says: 'Science impacts every part of our lives, so scientists should be there at the table, all the time'

Britain's civil service is suffering from a serious lack of scientific talent that threatens its ability to compete with nations such as China. That is the stark view of the government's own chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance.

In a rare interview, Vallance said a dearth of scientists and engineers in government posed major problems for the nation as it attempts to deal with the threats of climate change, an ageing population and tightened national security.

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