Recommendations & Conclusions
21 items
1
Conclusion
Third report: A new UK research funding…
The creation of UKRI has established a more coherent framework for the organisation of Government funding for research and innovation. There are reasons to think that UKRI, following its initial period of being established, could benefit from refreshing its processes and ways of working, specifically to reduce bureaucracy, increase agility …
Government response. In recommendation 20 (paragraph 117) the Committee refers to bureaucratic constraints on UKRI. The Government has been working closely with UKRI on a review of bureaucracy as trailed in the R&D Roadmap which the Committee has noted and welcomed. The …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
2
Conclusion
Third report: A new UK research funding…
It is strange that more than a year after its inclusion in two successive Queen’s Speeches, the Government has not clearly articulated the need for, or intended remit of, the proposed agency. To date, it seems to be a brand in search of a product. That said, evidence that we …
Government response. The Science and Technology Committee published their report into a ‘new high-risk, high-reward research funding agency’. The report offers major points of alignment with the Government’s policy, as now announced, and documented in this Policy Statement. However, there are some …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
3
Conclusion
Third report: A new UK research funding…
Questions about UK ARPA’s remit, organisation and governance would be made much more straightforward if the agency was established to serve a clear ‘client’— most likely a Government department, as is the case with US DARPA, which serves the Department of Defense. Potential candidates could include the Department of Health …
Government response. The Science and Technology Committee published their report into a ‘new high-risk, high-reward research funding agency’. The report offers major points of alignment with the Government’s policy, as now announced, and documented in this Policy Statement. However, there are some …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
4
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
The Government must, in its response to this Report, clearly define UK ARPA’s purpose. This will, necessarily, be tied to and shaped by a specific client the Government identifies for ARPA.
Government response. Through recommendations 4 (Paragraph 57), 5 (Paragraph 60), 7 (Paragraph 72), 8 (Paragraph 73) and 9 (Paragraph 74), the Committee articulate a clear stance that ARIA ought to have explicitly defined ‘missions’ or ‘challenges’, focused on particular priorities like Net …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
5
Conclusion
Third report: A new UK research funding…
UK ARPA can play an important role in the research and innovation system by pursuing goal-oriented research, driven by societal need, with the potential to produce lasting, transformational changes. UK ARPA should focus on ‘mission- based’ or ‘challenge-led’ research’, which has the potential to make transformative changes with implications for …
Government response. Through recommendations 4 (Paragraph 57), 5 (Paragraph 60), 7 (Paragraph 72), 8 (Paragraph 73) and 9 (Paragraph 74), the Committee articulate a clear stance that ARIA ought to have explicitly defined ‘missions’ or ‘challenges’, focused on particular priorities like Net …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
6
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
It is clear that the new funding agency should embrace risk—and be prepared for some of its projects to fail. Further, this should be combined with a long-term outlook, with research programmes spanning 10–15 years. Currently, it appears that funding is only guaranteed for the agency’s first five years, which …
Government response. The Committee’s recommendation 6 (Paragraph 64) relates to ARIA’s risk appetite and emphasises the Government’s patience in allowing the body time to ‘bear fruit’. We agree with this recommendation and hope to reflect this in monitoring and evaluation of ARIA. …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
7
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
It is clear that UK ARPA’s proposed budget limits it to pursuing one or two central missions—any more than this would risk spreading its budget too thin, thus undermining its effectiveness. Given the size of UK ARPA’s proposed budget we recommend that the new agency focuses on no more than …
Government response. Through recommendations 4 (Paragraph 57), 5 (Paragraph 60), 7 (Paragraph 72), 8 (Paragraph 73) and 9 (Paragraph 74), the Committee articulate a clear stance that ARIA ought to have explicitly defined ‘missions’ or ‘challenges’, focused on particular priorities like Net …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
8
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
The Government must think carefully about what the new agency’s focus might be before recruiting a director. It should consider the potential areas of focus recommended in the written and oral evidence submitted to this inquiry. It could also consider aligning UK ARPA’s focus with other identified priorities and reviews, …
Government response. Through recommendations 4 (Paragraph 57), 5 (Paragraph 60), 7 (Paragraph 72), 8 (Paragraph 73) and 9 (Paragraph 74), the Committee articulate a clear stance that ARIA ought to have explicitly defined ‘missions’ or ‘challenges’, focused on particular priorities like Net …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
9
Conclusion
Third report: A new UK research funding…
The Haldane principle should not apply to how UK ARPA’s overall focus is determined. Ministers should play a role in shaping ARPA’s initial focus.
Government response. Through recommendations 4 (Paragraph 57), 5 (Paragraph 60), 7 (Paragraph 72), 8 (Paragraph 73) and 9 (Paragraph 74), the Committee articulate a clear stance that ARIA ought to have explicitly defined ‘missions’ or ‘challenges’, focused on particular priorities like Net …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
10
Conclusion
Third report: A new UK research funding…
US DARPA and its ‘clones’ have shown the advantages of having a small, lean organisation with limited bureaucracy. Nevertheless, we think that the ultimate form and structure of the organisation should be shaped by and evolve with its appointed director.
Government response. Recommendations 10 (Paragraph 77), 12 (Paragraph 84), and 14 (Paragraph 87) relate to the choice of, and responsibility imbued upon, ARIA’s senior leadership. We agree that the unique autonomy granted by the ARIA model makes it all the more important …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
11
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
We welcome the Government’s commitment to give UK ARPA independence over both operational and strategic matters. With that said, there will still be a need for appropriate Government oversight of the organisation’s operations—given that £800 million of public money has been allocated to it—but UK ARPA will require bespoke Government …
Government response. Recommendations 11 (Paragraph 81) and 13 (Paragraph 86) relate to the important balancing act in the establishment of ARIA, between facilitating a high degree of autonomy to allow for dynamic and evolving investment portfolios, while also ensuring sufficient oversight. These …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
12
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
The pool of potential candidates for director should not necessarily be restricted to expert scientists. The Government should be open minded on who the new agency’s director might be, should not disregard anyone at this early stage, and should be open to appointing an individual with a bold vision, creativity …
Government response. Recommendations 10 (Paragraph 77), 12 (Paragraph 84), and 14 (Paragraph 87) relate to the choice of, and responsibility imbued upon, ARIA’s senior leadership. We agree that the unique autonomy granted by the ARIA model makes it all the more important …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
13
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
UK ARPA should have a distinct and flexible organisational structure. The Government should seek to create an environment characterised by a high degree of autonomy and limited bureaucracy. The Government should explain how it intends to establish and foster this culture in the new agency. (Paragraph 86) A new UK …
Government response. Recommendations 11 (Paragraph 81) and 13 (Paragraph 86) relate to the important balancing act in the establishment of ARIA, between facilitating a high degree of autonomy to allow for dynamic and evolving investment portfolios, while also ensuring sufficient oversight. These …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
14
Conclusion
Third report: A new UK research funding…
It is clear that the agency’s director will play a crucial role in defining its culture. The new director must therefore be committed to creating a culture that empowers and emboldens UK ARPA’s employees. Depending on how closely the Government wants UK ARPA to replicate US DARPA, it should consider …
Government response. Recommendations 10 (Paragraph 77), 12 (Paragraph 84), and 14 (Paragraph 87) relate to the choice of, and responsibility imbued upon, ARIA’s senior leadership. We agree that the unique autonomy granted by the ARIA model makes it all the more important …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
15
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
UK ARPA’s director should play a key role in the recruitment of its personnel. Programme managers should be ambitious ‘disruptors’, from a range of backgrounds, who are impact oriented, focused on the advancement of science and have CEO- like qualities. Attracting these people will require sufficient remuneration. The Government should …
Government response. Recommendation 15 (Paragraph 92) suggests ARIA should pay its Programme Manager position outside the normal Civil Service pay restrictions to ensure they are sufficiently remunerated. We agree with the spirit of this recommendation and we will seek agreement to pay …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
16
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
We recognise that there could be advantages to establishing the new UK research funding agency inside UKRI: it would be quicker; facilitate its communication and collaboration with the existing research and innovation system; and reduce the risk of threatening the coherence of funding and research brought by UKRI. However, we …
Government response. Recommendation 16 (Paragraph 99) and 17 (Paragraph 101) relate to ARIA’s relationship with UKRI. As should be clear from publication of the Bill since this Committee Report, we have clearly stated the intention to establish ARIA as a separate organisation …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
17
Conclusion
Third report: A new UK research funding…
The vehicle used to establish UK ARPA (i.e. legislation) must allow for clear lines of communication between it, UKRI and the wider system. This could be established through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that both parties agree to. It should ensure that UK ARPA has the power—and, where appropriate, the …
Government response. Recommendation 16 (Paragraph 99) and 17 (Paragraph 101) relate to ARIA’s relationship with UKRI. As should be clear from publication of the Bill since this Committee Report, we have clearly stated the intention to establish ARIA as a separate organisation …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
18
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
We welcome the multi-year funding settlement for UKRI set out in the November 2020 Spending Review, which not only provides much-needed certainty to UKRI and the wider research community, but it should also help UKRI support public and private sector contributions to the post-coronavirus pandemic recovery. We urge the 48 …
Government response. In terms of recommendation 18 (paragraph 106), the Government is committed to seeking the best possible settlement for the research and innovation system through the budget and spending review processes and will continue to support the sector to the full …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
19
Conclusion
Third report: A new UK research funding…
While the Government is thinking about the best way to establish a new UK research funding agency and acting on its pledge to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy in the UK research and innovation system, it is a good time for it to reflect on the bureaucratic constraints that apply to the …
Government response. In recommendation 20 (paragraph 117) the Committee refers to bureaucratic constraints on UKRI. The Government has been working closely with UKRI on a review of bureaucracy as trailed in the R&D Roadmap which the Committee has noted and welcomed. The …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
20
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
The Government should carry out a review, commencing before the end of the next financial year (i.e. 2021–2022), to explore how UKRI can operate with fewer bureaucratic constraints and more freedom and flexibility in how it allocates funds, while ensuring that it is held accountable for its expenditure. Specifically, it …
Government response. In recommendation 20 (paragraph 117) the Committee refers to bureaucratic constraints on UKRI. The Government has been working closely with UKRI on a review of bureaucracy as trailed in the R&D Roadmap which the Committee has noted and welcomed. The …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
21
Recommendation
Third report: A new UK research funding…
There is scope for improvements with respect to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility in the current research and innovation system, as illustrated by the 2014–15 to 2018–19 data from UKRI. The system benefits from having people with different ideas, different backgrounds and different characteristics working together. We therefore welcome UKRI’s …
Government response. In recommendation 21 (paragraph 120) the Committee requests details of UKRI’s equality strategy and the timescale for publication. The Government is working closely with UKRI on equality, diversity and inclusion issues across the research and innovation sector. UK Research and …
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology