From particles to politics

While I share the concerns of Julian Huppert MP about advocating science in Parliament, your report on "A geneticist in the House" (12 August) is mistaken in stating that Huppert is "one of only two members of this Parliament with a science degree".

As the careers editor at Physics World magazine, I have become something of an expert at finding physicists in unusual places, thanks to our monthly "Once a physicist" column, which profiles people who studied physics but then pursued careers in other fields. I am pleased to report that there are at least two additional science-trained MPs in the current Parliament: Huppert's Liberal Democrat colleague John Hemming (Birmingham Yardley) and Labour's Andy Love (Edmonton), who earned undergraduate degrees in physics from the universities of Oxford and Strathclyde, respectively.

Margaret Harris, Careers editor, Physics World.

Editor's note: Dr Huppert is one of only two MPs with a science doctorate. Sorry.