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The Greenfield report on getting more women into science ( THES , November 29) makes a number of costly recommendations. Laudable though they would be in a well-funded system, as things stand they would divert money away from supporting the science base and increase the competition for science jobs between the sexes.

The priorities should be in expanding our scientific capabilities and paying scientists a salary commensurate with their abilities. This will make a career in science attractive to people of either sex. The current under-utilisation of female talent is likely to vanish over time as the attitudes of a younger, more gender-blind society become prevalent.

Michael J. Rennie
University of Dundee