£ million prize is a mere token reward for Engineer’s. @number10gov

So enginneer’s are to be honoured with a prize to acknowledge their benefit to humanity.

It’s not enough

It has been part of British culture, for too long, that enginneer’s are tradesmen. their role has been equated to that of plumber’s and even binmen (Sanitation Engineer’s)

Other countries, without our “public school/ruling classes” culture, have long honoured their engineer’s and their wealth producing importance.

A German firm, employing a graduate engineer, will use that as part of their self-promotion, going so far as to put up brass plaques for each one employed.

In the USA, the Engineer may have his importance recognised by paying him twice the salary of the CEO.
This notion would be laughed out of a British board room, with sneering comments about the hired help.

At present if an employee comes up with a world shattering innovation, he would be required by law to take out a patent in the name of his employer’s, without any recompense. (imagine if the Internet had been invented by someone working for microsoft)

If we want innovation and if we want to reward engineer’s etc. then the law should be changed to give the innovator’s, at least, a 50% share in the profits from any patent.