First ever debate on maths to be held ahead of Autumn Statement

Parliament is set to debate mathematics for the first time in history as England celebrates Maths Week and mathematicians intensify calls for the Government to deliver on the “missing millions” ahead of the Autumn Statement.

The Westminster Hall debate, tabled by Sir Stephen Timms, Labour MP for East Ham and prompted by the Protect Pure Maths campaign, will begin at 11 AM on Tuesday 15 November and is titled  “celebrating the contribution of maths to society”.

Believed to be the first ever parliamentary debate dedicated solely on mathematics, it will showcase how vital maths is to everyday life in the UK, with examples spanning national security, modelling Covid, solving issues like energy supply and the cost of living, underpinning VAR at the World Cup, running GPS on your phone and many more unexpected everyday uses.

The debate also takes place on the second day of Maths Week England – a grassroots movement aimed at sharing the joy, utility and essentiality of mathematics.

This debate comes just two weeks after Dominic Cummings tweeted encouraging the Government to commit to delivering the £300 million promised additional funding to the mathematical sciences. It will also be held two days before the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, widely speculated to increase taxes and decrease spending, placing further risk to the mathematical sciences receiving their promised additional funding.

The Protect Pure Maths campaign is calling on the government to provide university maths departments with urgent clarity on the sustainability of maths funding in order to green light study and research programmes that will last years into the future, and which could provide the next technological breakthrough. Maths has provided the means to develop many of today's vital innovations including GPS systems, artificial intelligence MRI scanners and government codebreaking at GCHQ.

Professor Ulrike Tillmann, President of the London Mathematical Society and spokesperson for the Protect Pure Maths campaign, said:

“The mathematical sciences are vital to both the economy and the wellbeing of our society. Deloitte has estimated that the mathematical sciences add more than £200bn to the UK economy, and there is a significant salary premium for advanced maths skills, calculated at £8k per annum. These figures cannot go unrecognised and mathematics cannot go underfunded if the UK is to continue being a pioneer in key research and development.

“We believe that to enhance mathematical skills across our nation and to allow for a sustainable pipeline of mathematicians that are equipped to address the enormous challenges we face, the Government needs to provide the funding and support that the mathematical community have been calling for.

We urge the Government to see this week's debate as a call for action.”