Appointments

The government has appointed the following to the six research councils.

• Biotechnology and Biological Research Council: David Brightman , chair, Arable Research Institute Association, and of the National Farmers' Union pesticides working group.

• Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils: Mike Cruise , professor and vice-chancellor, research and knowledge transfer, Birmingham University; Graham Davis , professor and head of the school of engineering, Birmingham; Peter Gregson , professor and deputy vice-chancellor, Southampton University; Ann Kensal of the ministerial working party on employment legislation.

• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council: David Hughes , director-general, Department of Trade and Industry innovation group.

• Economic and Social Research Council: Andrew Winckler , emeritus professor of local and public management, Strathclyde University, and chair of Scottish Water.

• Medical Research Council: David Armstrong , honorary consultant, department of general practice, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine.

• Natural Environment Research Council: Sara Parkin , programme director, Forum for the Future; David Roberts , professor and adviser, BP Exploration; Michael Depledge , professor and head of science, Environment Agency of England and Wales.

The following were reappointed: Peter Fellner , chief executive, Celltech Group; Ian MacLennan , director, MRC/Birmingham centre for immune regulation; Nancy Rothwell , MRC research professor of physiology, Manchester University; John Beddington , professor and head of the department of environmental science and technology, Imperial College London; Judith Petts , professor and head of the school of geography, earth and environmental sciences, Birmingham.