| Citation | David Willetts born in 1956, was educated at King Edward's School Birmingham and at Christ Church Oxford, where he got a First in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. He immediately embarked on a political career, becoming an official in the Treasury then a member of the Downing Street Policy Unit advising on economic and social policy, and after that was Director of the Centre for Policy Studies. He was elected MP for Havant 1992 - 2015, holding several Shadow Cabinet posts, and was made Privy Councillor and Minister for Universities and Science 2010 - 2014, attending Cabinet. In 2015 he entered the House of Lords. Since leaving Government he has, amongst other things, become a visiting Professor at King's College London, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Times Higher Education, Executive Chair of the Resolution Foundation, Chair of the British Science Association, Member of the Royal Society's President's Advisory Committee, and Trustee of the Science Museum and of the Crick Institute. He has also been elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
David's case for election as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal society is based mainly on his activities supporting science when he was Minister, and his other science related activities since that time, such as at the Royal Society and the British Science Association. His support for science as the Minister responsible for science was exemplary. He was engaged in major battles first to protect funds for science during austerity, and then to increase it with a boost of £1billion over 5 years to the science capital budget. He used his political skills to win over the Chancellor and keep him on side during these discussions. He also worked on a number of international issues, for example he was pivotal in getting the Newton Fund in place and he hosted the G8 Science Ministers summit. Working with EU colleagues he contributed to the design of Horizon 2020 and to embedding the principle of excellence in EU science funding, for example in the case of the ERC. He helped in getting a leading role for the UK in the Square Kilometre Array, and for UK membership of the International Spallation Source. Other contributions include: a strong voice in favour of Open Access, for the development of Catapults based on the Fraunhofer Institutes in Germany, his championing of the Haldane principle, and not least in getting Tim Peake into space. As a backbencher after his time as Minister, he spoke strongly in favour of mitochondrial donation.
His other science related activities are also considerable. He has taken on the Chair of the British Science Association, is serving on the Board of the Science Museum chairing the important Advisory Committee to the Board, and is also ably advising the Crick Institute Board. At the Royal Society he has been a member of the President's Advisory Committee, and has given much useful advice to the Society.
David Willetts was a very effective Science Minister, is intellectually engaged and is regularly seen at Royal Society events. There is no doubt that he would be a great addition to our Fellowship.
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