Select committee: Science and Technology Committee
Recommendation 17
2nd Report - Catapults: bridging the gap between research and industry
Published 5 Feb 2021
Paragraph 72
Science and Technology Committee The contribution of innovation Catapults to delivering the R&D Roadmap All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We ask that, in its response to this report, the Government provides a detailed strategic plan for delivering its R&D ambitions, including: milestones for increased private sector investment towards the overall spending target; a list of criteria to be used to select technologies and sectors for further support and an explanation of how 22 CATAPULTS: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY these will be responsive to future challenges; and a list of technologies and sectors that are being considered for further support. We recommend that the Government makes the best possible use of the Catapult Network, promoting it as the UK’s national innovation asset, and using it as the default mechanism for exploiting promising technologies and sectors. We recommend that the Government promotes its R&D strategy confidently, in the UK and internationally.
From: Science and Technology Committee, 2nd Report - Catapults: bridging the gap between research and industry, paragraph 72, 5 February 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 6 April 2021 (deadline 5 April 2021).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response sets out its R&D funding plans and agrees with the Committee on several points on Catapults, while pointing to a forthcoming Innovation Strategy and Places Strategy for further detail.
- On funding, it states that the 2.4% of GDP R&D target will not be achieved "through public spending alone", and that BEIS "will provide a breakdown" of its R&D spending when final allocations are published "later in the year".
- On collaboration, it says it agrees with the Committee's findings that funding constraints could be reducing Catapults' ability to collaborate with universities, and has asked UKRI to review whether Catapults could bid for relevant Research Council funding.
- On review and performance indicators, it agrees that it should focus on how to support Catapults rather than whether they should exist, and will work with UKRI / Innovate UK to agree bespoke KPIs with the Catapults as part of the five year review cycle.
- On scaling the network and regional policy, it seeks a balance between opening new Catapults and funding existing ones, and says priority technologies "will be considered as part of the upcoming Innovation Strategy", with further local impact details in the Places Strategy.