In a speech at Policy Exchange, Westminster, Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts referred to IAH as one of the UK’s “outstanding independent research institutes” and highlighted our role in the eradication of rinderpest.
The Minister spoke about the opportunities for the UK that are provided by universities, science facilities and researchers. These together are “the best single hope for making our way in the high-tech world of the future, creating jobs and opportunities and boosting high tech economic growth”.
In a section of the speech dealing with Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, he said:
"Bio is not just human health. We have great strengths in biological sciences more widely. After the elimination of Smallpox thirty years ago the UN celebrated the global elimination of a second virus last year. It was rinderpest which affects cattle and other ungulates and blighted agriculture in Africa and elsewhere. British scientists based at the Institute of Animal Health played a key role in this."
The whole speech is available to read here: http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/0/4AA73A5A870DA5208025797B003EF285?OpenDocument