Political Science? Does Scientific Training Predict UK MPs Voting Behaviour?

Abstract

The paper presents a case study of parliamentary voting on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill and Act of 2008. It seeks to establish whether MPs with a scientific background voted differently from the wider population of MPs. Patterns of parliamentary voting on this issue provide no strong evidence to suggest that MPs with a scientific background behaved any differently from MPs without any scientific training on any aspect of the legislation on Human Fertilisation and Embryology passed in 2008. Once controls for party allegiance are applied, scientific training appears to have no independent effect on voting behaviour. This applies even when the issue at stake is the restriction of research and clinical practice. There is also no strong evidence to suggest that MPs with scientific training are more likely to vote on scientific issues or that they are more likely to vote against the grain of their party when they do so.