THE REVOLVING door at the Office of Science and Technology is turning once again. Early this week, junior science minister Robert Hughes resigned his post for 鈥渇amily reasons鈥� after just seven months in the job.
His replacement is John Horam, a man with a reputation for political promiscuity. He first entered Parliament in 1970 as a Labour MP, before switching to the Social Democratic Party in 1981. In 1992 he was voted in as MP for Orpington in Kent as a Conservative. Horam is also no stranger to ministerial office, having served as a junior transport minister in the Labour government from 1976 to 1979. Before entering Parliament, he was a journalist on the Financial Times and The Economist.
Horam was a co-founder of CRU International, a research and consultancy company that specialises in metals and chemicals. But like his predecessor, Horam has no particular expertise in science. 鈥淚 personally have no scientific qualifications,鈥� Horam told New 女生小视频. But he will soon get a crash course.
Advertisement
One of his first duties will be to preside over many of the events of SET鈥�95, Britain鈥檚 second national week of science, engineering and technology. The action begins on 17 March and Horam says he is 鈥渧ery enthusiastic鈥� about the week, especially the events planned for schools.
