The UK government needs better scientific advice and should improve the way it communicates levels of risk to the public, a parliamentary committee said this week.

The report from the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology urges the government to set up a new government scientific service, give more power to science advisers, and improve long term policy planning. It also wants negative attitudes towards scientific qualifications to be tackled.

The committee, which last year launched its inquiry into the government's handling of scientific advice, risk, and evidence in policy making, makes 69 recommendations, …