Funding cuts threat to UK science

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Scientists have warned that a £600m cut in the funding of universities and research risks undermining the country's research base.

In his pre-budget report, Chancellor Alistair Darling announced a 10p rate of corporation tax on income derived from British patents as incentive for companies to exploit British scientific discoveries. He also announced £200m for new innovative industrial projects.

But there are fears that any benefits will be negated by savings from the science and education sectors.

The pre-budget report said that £600m of the £5bn of savings to be made by 2012-13 would come "from higher education and science and research budgets from a combination of changes to student support within existing arrangements; efficiency savings and prioritisation across universities, science and research; some switching of modes of study in higher education; and reductions in budgets that do not support student participation."

Nick Dusic, of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, warned that there were clear inconsistancies in the governments approach to science. "The Chancellor has sent mixed signals today about the future of science and innovation," he said. "He is looking for a significant cut in investment in the nation's research and skills base, while providing support for innovation that stems from it."

Dusic said there needed to be an urgent statement on the status of the government's 10-year science and innovation investment framework. This has sought to put the total science budget on a target for £6.3bn for 2010/11.

Richard Pike, of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said that the "short-sighted and ill-considered" move would undermine the basic research supporting innovation.

There is also confusion over the security of the ring-fence around the national science budget, which the Government has guaranteed under a framework for improving research funding that is supposed to last until 2014. Research councils have expressed fears that an expected 5 per cent cut after next year could have further negative impacts on the science base.