Policy statements and consultation responses

Applied Microbiology International frequently responds to requests from policymakers for evidence and information, working in tandem with our members and partners.

Applied Microbiology International enables microbiologists within our membership and beyond to connect with governments and parliaments, giving them a voice to help maximise the impact of microbiological research and application. To achieve this, we frequently responds to requests from policymakers for evidence and information, working in tandem with our members and partners.

2021 Policy briefings and consultations

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29 Oct 2021
AMR case study: AMR in the environment

Environmentally friendly
15 Oct 2021
HoL Sci Tech Nature-based Solutions Consultation

SfAM has responded to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee's Nature-based solutions for climate change inquiry.

APPG DI STEM.PNG
20 Jul 2021
Inquiry into Equity in the STEM workforce

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Diversity and Inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) published the ‘Equity in the STEM workforce’ report following an eight-month inquiry.

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24 Jun 2021
AMI Supporting microbiology to prevent the next global catastrophe

Green earth field
02 Jun 2021
RSB response to the Draft Statement on Environmental Principles

SfAM contributed to the Royal Society of Biology's response to the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) consultation on the Draft Policy Statement on Environmental Principles.

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21 May 2021
AMI AMR case study the impact of COVID-19

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22 Mar 2021
Position statement on short-term research contracts

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the plight of postdoctoral researchers. Most researchers are driven by intellectual curiosity rather than the desire for financial reward, spending years on a succession of short-term contracts, which can make a career in science an unattractive option.

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17 Mar 2021
RSB response to DEFRA consultation on the regulation of genetic technologies

SfAM contributed to the Royal Society of Biology's response to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)'s consultation on genetic technologies regulation.

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07 Feb 2021
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM: Equity in the UK STEM workforce

SfAM has responded to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM’s inquiry into Equity in the UK STEM workforce.   

 

2020 Policy briefings and consultations

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02 Dec 2020
AMI response to HoC Health & Social Care and Science & Technology Committees' Coronavirus lessons learnt

SfAM has responded to the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee's and Science and Technology Committee's inquiry into Coronavirus: lessons learnt.

AMR pills
01 Nov 2020
Position statement on AMR

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11 Aug 2020
AMI response to BEIS UK Research & Development Survey

SfAM has responded to the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy's (BEIS) UK Research and Development Roadmap survey.

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31 Jul 2020
AMI response to HoC Science and Technology Committee UK Science Capability and Influence in Global Outbreaks

SfAM has responded to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee's inquiry into UK Science, Research and Technology Capability and Influence in Global Disease Outbreaks.

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07 Jul 2020
AMI responds to the HoL Science and Technology Committee - The Science of COVID-19 inquiry

SfAM has responded to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee's inquiry on The Science of COVID-19, which aims to help Government learn from the current pandemic and better prepare for future epidemics.

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01 Jul 2020
RSB response to HoC Science and Technology Committee's inquiry A New UK Funding Agency

SfAM contributed to the Royal Society of Biology's response to the Science and Technology Select Committee (Commons) inquiry into a new UK research funding agency.

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29 Jun 2020
Royal Society of Biology response to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Open Access Review consultation

SfAM contributed to the Royal Society of Biology's response to UKRI's Open Access Review, which sought views on its proposed open access policy for peer-reviewed research articles and academic books that result from research supported by UKRI.

 

2019 Policy briefings and consultations

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24 Dec 2019
AMI responds to the OECD’s STEM Education - A Vision for the Future survey

SfAM has responded to an invitation from Oxford University Press (OUP) to contribute to the current review of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) ahead of the forthcoming 2024 cycle.

DEFRA logo
01 Nov 2019
AMI responds to DEFRA’s National Food Strategy – Call for Evidence

SfAM has responded to the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) call for evidence to inform its National Food Strategy. 

Pushing Wheelchair
07 Oct 2019
AMI response to inquiry into Ageing - Science, Technology and Healthy Living

The Society for Applied Microbiology submitted written evidence to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry into Ageing: Science, Technology and Healthy Living.

Green earth field
17 Jul 2019
AMI response to inquiry into plastic food packaging

The Society for Applied Microbiology submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry into plastic food packaging in July 2019.

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09 Jul 2019
Science policy report - Food safety and food manufacturing and processing

This briefing focuses on recent and upcoming developments in food processing, food manufacture and the wider food supply chain, which will have an impact on risks related to harmful microorganisms (such as bacteria and viruses) and their toxins in foods.

Brexit
29 Jan 2019
AMI response to inquiry into 'no-deal' Brexit

The Society for Applied Microbiology submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee inquiry into preparations for a 'No-Deal' Brexit.

Chris parliament select
24 Jan 2019
AMI proposes Parliamentary inquiry into the microbiome

The Society for Applied Microbiology responded to a House of Commons Science and Technology Committee call for new topics under the title 'My Science Inquiry'.

 

2018 Policy briefings and consultations

marine microbiome
15 Nov 2018
Science policy briefing - The marine microbiome

This briefing introduces the marine microbiome as a vital component of ocean biodiversity and addresses significant threats such as climate change and pollution, which may further compound the risks to human health and the environment.

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15 Nov 2018
Science policy report - Food safety after Brexit

In July 2018, the Society for Applied Microbiology held a roundtable discussion on the potential impacts of departing the European Union on food safety in the UK, focusing on issues related to science.

Brexit
24 Oct 2018
AMI response to Food Standards Agency consultation on EU Exit

The Society for Applied Microbiology responded to a consultation from the Food Standards Agency on their proposed approach to retained EU law for food and feed safety and hygiene. 

Forensic police tape
23 Oct 2018
AMI response to inquiry into forensic science

The Society for Applied Microbiology submitted written evidence to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry into forensic science.

AMR pills
24 Jul 2018
AMI and Microbiology Society response to inquiry into antimicrobial resistance

The Society for Applied Microbiology and Microbiology Society have jointly submitted written evidence to a House of Commons Health & Social Care Select Committee inquiry into antimicrobial resistance.

sustainable seas
23 May 2018
AMI response to inquiry into sustainable seas

The Society for Applied Microbiology submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee inquiry into sustainable seas in May 2018.

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08 May 2018
Royal Society of Biology response to consultation on the future for food, farming and the environment

The Society for Applied Microbiology contributed to the Royal Society of Biology's response to the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' consultation on the future for food, farming and the environment

Brexit
16 Apr 2018
AMI response to inquiry into Brexit and biosecurity

The Society for Applied Microbiology has submitted written evidence to a House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee inquiry into plant and animal biosecurity after Brexit.

Brexit
01 Feb 2018
AMI response to inquiry into Brexit and science

Applied Microbiology International submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee request for recommendations on the next steps required by the UK Government to preserve and continue developing the UK science and innovation base after Brexit.

Brexit
01 Jan 2018
CaSE response to consultation on the impacts of international students in the UK

The Society for Applied Microbiology contributed to an evidence submission from the Campaign for Science and Engineering to the Migration Advisory Committee's consultation on the impact of international students in the UK

 

2017 Policy briefings and consultations

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23 Oct 2017
Royal Society of Biology response to inquiry into the life sciences industrial strategy

The Society for Applied Microbiology contributed to a response from the Royal Society of Biology to the House of Lords Science & Technology Committee inquiry into life sciences and the Industrial Strategy

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11 Oct 2017
SfAM response to BBSRC strategy

This document details the Society for Applied Microbiology’s (SfAM) response to the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council's (BBSRC) invitation to comment on a strategy for UK biotechnology and biological sciences.

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13 Sep 2017
Position statement on digital sequence information and the Nagoya protocol

Applied Microbiology International (AMI) fully supports the principles behind access and benefit sharing (ABS) of genetic resources, as stipulated under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

DEFRA logo
07 Sep 2017
SfAM response on digital sequence information and the Nagoya Protocol

The Society for Applied Microbiology set out its position on digital sequence information (DSI) and the Nagoya Protocol to the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

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04 Sep 2017
Position statement on AMR

There are a number of useful approaches to mitigate the potential health, social and economic impacts of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

David Webb BPS
27 Jul 2017
LeSPAR comment on the BMJ article on antibiotic course duration

The Learned Society Partnership on Antimicrobial Resistance (LeSPAR) has noted with interest the publication of a BMJ article by Llewelyn et al. on antibiotic course duration.

Large cog wheels
01 Apr 2017
Royal Society of Biology response to UK Government Industrial Strategy green paper

The Society for Applied Microbiology contributed to a response from the Royal Society of Biology to the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy's consultation on the proposed Industrial Strategy.

Academic journals on shelf
14 Mar 2017
Royal Society of Biology response to inquiry into research integrity

The Society for Applied Microbiology contributed to a response from the Royal Society of Biology to the House of Commons Science & Technology Select Committee inquiry into research integrity

DNA blue
10 Feb 2017
SfAM and Microbiology Society response to inquiry into genomics

The Society for Applied Microbiology and Microbiology Society jointly submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Science & Technology Select Committee inquiry into genomics and genome editing in February 2017.

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01 Feb 2017
Position statement on equality, diversity and inclusion

AMI seeks to encourage equality, diversity and inclusion in microbiology and related disciplines, and promotes inclusive practices in support of this.

 

2016 Policy briefings and consultations

Political leaders 2017
01 Sep 2016
LeSPAR response to 2016 high level political commitment

The G7 and G20 summits and the UN General Assembly have now agreed proactive steps to ensure collaboration between nations, accepting the recommendations of the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR and the UK AMR Review.

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01 Aug 2016
Position statement on whole genome sequencing in clinical microbiology

Applied Microbiology (AMI) supports people working in a range of fields where there are applications of Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS).

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10 May 2016
SfAM response to inquiry into science communication

The Society for Applied Microbiology supplied written evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee inquiry into Science Communication in May 2016. 

 

2015 Policy briefings and consultations

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13 Oct 2015
SfAM and Microbiology Society response to inquiry into Ebola

The Society for Applied Microbiology and Microbiology Society jointly submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Science & Technology Select Committee inquiry into science in emergencies: UK lessons from Ebola.

World health organization
01 May 2015
LeSPAR response WHO Global Action Plan on AMR

We consider that implementation of the WHO Action Plan on both a national and international level can have a positive impact on tackling the problems associated with AMR and will require the coordinated commitment of funding, expertise, and manpower.

 

2013 Policy briefings and consultations

AMR pills
20 Nov 2013
SfAM response to inquiry into antimicrobial resistance

The Society for Applied Microbiology submitted written and oral evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee inquiry into antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in 2013.

Diverse working group
13 Aug 2013
SfAM response to inquiry into women in STEM careers

The Society for Applied Microbiology submitted written evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee inquiry into women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) careers in September 2013.

 

2011 Policy briefings and consultations

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10 Mar 2011
Society of Biology response to inquiry into peer review

The Society for Applied Microbiology contributed to a response from the Society of Biology to the House of Commons Science & Technology Select Committee inquiry into peer review.

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16 Feb 2011
SfAM response to FSA Forward Evidence Plan

The Society for Applied Microbiology responded to a consultation on the Food Standards Agency's proposed Forward Evidence Plan in February 2011.

 

2007 Policy briefings and consultations

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30 Apr 2007
SfAM response to Government proposal for FWE services

The Society for Applied Microbiology responded to the UK Government Health Protection Agency's (HPA) consultation document: Development of a National Network for the Delivery of Food, Water and Environmental (FW&E) Microbiology Services. 

Law enforcement
12 Feb 2007
SfAM response to green paper on detection technologies in law enforcement

The Society for Applied Microbiology responded to a European Commission green paper on detection technologies in the work of the law enforcement, customs and other security authorities (COM/2006/0474).

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12 Feb 2007
SfAM response to the Cooksey Report

The Society for Applied Microbiology responded to the Cooksey review of health research funding in the UK.

 

2006 Policy briefings and consultations

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15 Sep 2006
SfAM response to Government guidelines on M. tuberculosis infection

The Society for Applied Microbiology responded to the UK Department of Health's proposed laboratory guidelines for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in September 2006.