Communities secretary, John Denham, has appointed an experienced biomedical engineer to act as the CLG's chief scientific adviser. Professor Jeremy Watson, the current head of global research at engineering group Ove Arup and Partners, will advise the department on issues relating to sustainability, renewable energy and technological development. Mr Watson has extensive experience of the public sector, too, having held a similar role at the former Department for Trade and Industry and the Government's technology strategy board. He said: ‘Climate change, sustainability and the challenges of building regulation and land use planning are some of the most urgent issues facing the UK and the global community. ‘The solutions must be firmly rooted in science.'