Science Is Vital is urging you to take advantage of a crucial opportunity to express your concerns about the state of UK science funding. Parliament needs to know your views - and with one simple letter, you can make your voice heard and have a real effect on our science. It has been half a year since the Autumn Spending Review when your support helped protect the science budget from savage cuts. The outcome was a four year cash freeze for the science budget, but of course, with inflation this still means at least a worrying 10% real-terms cut in science funding.

The Science and Technology Committee has invited representations from the wider scientific community and other interested parties on the future impact of the budget allocations (2011/12 through to 2014/15). Whatever adverse effects are happening or are feared for the future, be they large or small, Parliament would like to know. The eventual report may influence funding body policies in the next four years and, critically, will make clear to politicians the extent of the damage caused by cuts in funding. It will also help persuade them to re-invest in science in the next spending review as the economy recovers.

Most of the responses to these sort of enquiries come from senior scientists and science institutions. The voice of grass-roots researchers is often absent. Science is Vital believes it is time that the voice of scientists at the coalface is heard. Please take this important opportunity to set the record straight. You have until 27 April 2011 to make a written submission. To help you, we have assembled a handy one-stop web page that can be accessed by clicking on the link below. It is important for the government to realise that we are watching what they do and that we are aiming to keep this issue as high as we can on the political agenda.

Science is Vital website