Bedford biomedical scientist helps put MPs in the hot seat during visit to Westminster
A biomedical scientist from Bedford visited Westminster this week to take part in a special ‘reverse’ committee event in Parliament.
Robert Simpson joined members of the public who put MPs in the hot seat to answer questions about how they use evidence in policymaking.
They asked MPs about evidence-based decision-making from how artificial intelligence is being used in government, to how scientific uncertainty is communicated to the public.
Taking part in Evidence Week 2025, Robert also asked how well equipped Parliament is to assess statistical and scientific evidence when scrutinising government policy.
His question reflected a concern shared by many researchers that policymakers need stronger training and support to interpret scientific data accurately and make informed decisions on health, environment, and innovation.
Robert, who has worked in biomedical science for many years, said: "It was amazing - really engaging to see how the process works. I was impressed by the MPs and peers who took part; they gave thoughtful answers and showed a good grasp of the science, even if some responses had that political polish.
The experience made things feel less opaque for me - now the question is how to get that understanding out to everyone else.”
Robert, who lives in Bedford, attended as part of his ongoing commitment to public engagement with science and hopes to share his reflections with the wider biomedical community, including through the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) “Biomedical Scientist magazine”.
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