Esther McVey: Nurturing young Wirral talent

Mar 28 2012 by Our Correspondent, Heswall News

AT THE 2012 Big Bang Fair National Science and Engineering competition Wirral pupils celebrated tremendous success.

Kirtana Vallabhaneni from West Kirby Grammar School for Girls was named young scientist of the year for her work in isolating pancreatic cells for targeting with chemotherapy, and from Calday Grammar School pupils, Danny Wheller, Sam Mills, Asher Winterson, Gokhul Ramakrishnan and Cameron Douglas won the BAE Systems Prize for Leadership for their Eco-Spin Project.

Wirral has some exceptionally talented youngsters and such talent needs to be nurtured and encouraged at school, which it obviously is, but there must also be opportunities after school and that is something we as a government need to develop, so that all our talented youngsters can remain in the UK, benefiting themselves and the country.

I work closely with the Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister for higher education, promoting science at school as well as science as a career.

Research and development is key to the future of the country, hence I was delighted the government protected the UK's Science budget and provided additional funding to Daresbury Science Park enabling it to expand.

Later this year I'm holding an event with the Royal Society of Chemistry promoting science to young students as well as offering them opportunities to meet with some of the country's top scientists, and as well as that the Chemical Industry Association are running a science competition for Primary and Secondary Schools for more information http://www.cia.org.uk/FutureForum/SchoolsSportcompetition.aspx

By focusing on the youth of today and ensuring that they have the right skills, role models and support that they need, they will play a major role in the future development of the country.