The big news this week has been the announcement that the 2012 cohort study will go ahead, and that there will also be support for a facility to encourage better use of all the cohort studies. Elsewhere on the LV website we give details of this, and offer our congratulations to Prof Carol Desateux and her team, who have persevered against a background of considerable uncertainty. It is very good news for all of us involved with LS.
I have no insight into the internal debates which went on over this decision. But it is fair to assume that it is directly attributable to the personal commitment of David Willetts, the Minister for Science. In his speech to the British Academy where he announced the decision, David made specific reference to the embarrassment of the missing link in the cohort series, ie the absence of a 1980s cohort; and his pleasure at being able in part to make amends for that. To win £33million for a study which will not itself yield results for several years is a genuine achievement under any circumstances; and under the current fiscal regime it is a huge one. I think we owe the minister a major vote of thanks for bringing this about.
The fresh investment, both in the new study and in the facility, increases the challenge to the research community to make sure that the best value is extracted from it. I have no qualms at all about the scientific capacity involved; the issue is whether we have the mechanisms, attitudes and culture to bring this about. But just for now, it’s time for celebration and anticipation.