British researchers say pending legislation to prevent the export of sensitive technologies to hostile countries could give the government too much control over what research gets published. According to the lobby group Universities UK (UUK), a revised Export Control Bill now before the House of Lords would give the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) the right to review new research before it is submitted for publication. DTI would also be able to impose controls on e-mails and instruction manuals covering topics deemed sensitive. The current law applies only to tangible objects and descriptions of certain military technologies.
DTI officials insist that the rules would pertain only to applied research and that additional legislation will define and exempt basic research from export control oversight. UUK, however, wants to see academic freedom enshrined in the export law itself and is seeking support for an amendment during debate next month.
