Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Phil Taylor welcomed local Bath MP Wera Hobhouse to campus on Friday 4 October to learn more about our research and activities locally, nationally and globally.
In addition to her meeting with Professor Taylor, Wera met a team from the School of Management and students behind Team Bath Racing Electric, who unveiled their sustainable formula-style electric race car. She also met Prof Chris Pudney from the University’s Department of Life Sciences.
A recent investigation led by Prof Pudney has highlighted an alarming rate of confiscated vapes from school premises containing the synthetic drug spice. Wera has since raised this issue in Parliament and with the Department for Education. This coming week she will lead an adjournment debate on the issue.
Prof Taylor said: “I was delighted to meet Wera on campus recently to discuss with her our shared priorities and the opportunities for collaboration. Across many of our activities, from our research to student projects, there is a policy dimension and we’re very grateful to our local MP for championing the work of the University of Bath in Westminster.”
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, said: "It was a pleasure to be invited to the University of Bath to take part in so many brilliant events last week. From meeting the new Vice Chancellor, Phil Taylor, and discussing opportunities to collaborate with the School of Management, to witnessing the cutting-edge engineering of Team Bath Racing Electric, I certainly had a fantastic day!
"I'm also very grateful to the University and Chris Pudney for raising the disturbing issue of children unknowingly smoking Spice-spiked vapes, and for their critical research into the harm this poses to young people.
"We must urgently address this issue before a generation of children risk become addicted to such a dangerous substance. That’s why I’ve urged the government a number of times in Parliament, including the Education Secretary, to push for greater awareness in schools and better protection for vulnerable children."
Professor Chris Pudney of the University of Bath’s Department of Life Sciences said: “Our work has uncovered that a synthetic drug called ‘spice’ is present in vapes being used regularly by children and young people in schools across the country. Spice is a drug endemic in the British prison system and is known for the significant health harm it causes.
“We’ve found that young people are unwittingly encountering spice inhaled from vapes, placing them at immediate health harm and the potential for addiction. The most vulnerable children are at the greatest risk from spice use. Education of young people, teachers and parents on this issue is the first key step in mitigating the risk from this emerging threat.
“We are very grateful for the work our local MP Wera Hobhouse is doing in Parliament to help raise this significant issue up the agenda for Government Ministers.”