Lord Mandelson said, "The future competitiveness of this country depends on the excellence of its science. It also relies on getting this message out to the public, as the Science Museum does so successfully. This is not only to help educate and enthuse young people - our next generation of scientists - but also to increase our understanding as a country of the importance and positive impact of science on our every day lives."

The newly created Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is a new single department committed to building Britain's future economic strengths. To compete in a global economy and win the jobs of the future, Britain requires a regulatory environment that encourages enterprise, skilled people, innovation, and world-class science and research. The merger of BERR and DIUS brings together the parts of the government with key expertise in these areas.

Lord Mandelson added, "A new world is emerging: One on the edge of a new industrial revolution that's driven by new technologies and the world's shift to low-carbon. It is also a situation where global competition will be even tougher. To fully realise our potential as a country, now is the time for us to define those comparative advantages that will secure our global lead in this future. And our ability to maintain and develop our strong science base through both applied and a substantial element of fundamental curiosity-driven research will be essential to our long-term economic success."