Research and Development funding across government inquiry
Closed
What the inquiry looked at
“In 2016, the Government announced plans to provide an extra £4.7 billion of funding for Research and Development (R&D) by 2021. Several departments are involved in funding this work, with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy taking most responsibility. A recent National Audit Office report identified risks that bodies funding R&D did not have sufficient data on funding gaps and research outcomes to be sure that national priorities were being met. This was by no means a universal picture with some areas, such as human health research, performing well, whilst others like robotics investment did not yet have an established strategy. The report also raised concerns that Brexit could affect future UK research funding. The UK received €8.8 billion in EU research funding between 2007 and 2013 and UK Government did not yet have a clear picture of how funding priorities might need to change post-Brexit. In April 2018 a new body, UK Research and Innovation, will come into being to bring together existing research organisations including Research Councils. The Committee will be asking the incoming Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation about how the new organisation can help shape the direction and strategy of UK research priorities. The Committee will also hear from the Department of Health, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and the Government’s interim Chief Scientific Adviser.”
The committee's words, from the inquiry page on parliament.uk ↗.
What it found
The Government aims to increase total UK investment in research from 1.68% in 2015 to 2.4% of GDP in 2027 but it lacks an ambitious plan for how it will achieve this. The Government has already committed to spending an additional £7 billion on research over five years. However, without more investment by the private sector there is a risk that the Government may need to spend even more to meet its target. Research in the health sector is well-coordinated but the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not done enough to identify where other areas of research are lagging behind. Without effective leadership in key emerging technologies such as robotics, the UK will not develop the skills it needs in the future, and productivity and economic growth could suffer. The Government needs to make sure it protects Government Intellectual Property rights as part of its investment programme.
What the government said
No government response is linked to this report.
How the inquiry ran
Each dot is a dated item listed on this page, from the inquiry's opening on 21 December 2017 to 20 November 2018.
- Oral evidence 31 Jan 2018
- Report 20 Apr 2018
- Correspondence 20 Nov 2018
What it recommended
The committee's recommendations are not listed here yet. Read them in 33rd Report - Research and Development funding across government ↗ on parliament.uk.
Evidence
Oral evidence sessions 1
- 31 Jan 2018No witnesses recordedparliament.uk ↗