MPs also asked questions on subjects including the future costs of long-term care and the 111 pilot telephone service.

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In a statement the Prison Service said a comprehensive consultation had been undertaken on the entire prison estate including the future of Magilligan Prison and a final decision would be made by 2013.

BBC: Prison officers protest against Magilligan closure

Heide Hackmann, Executive Director of the International Social Science Council (ISSC), insisted on the need to have a new contract between science and policies, and the need for interdisciplinary research, including the Future Earth Initiative.

UNESCO: Public policies need social sciences to build a green sustainable society | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization