Conclusion 22

We expressed concerns that these decisions may have serious consequences for the UK’s skills base, for sites such as the Daresbury research campus, and could harm regional research and innovation ecosystems. The decisions may also damage the UK’s reputation as a partner in international collaborations such as CERN, which operates the world’s most powerful particle accelerator.45 Particle physics researchers at the University of Liverpool concurred in their written evidence, telling us that UKRI’s sudden decision to deprioritise the LHCb 2030+ project at CERN and the abrupt manner by which the decision was communicated has created considerable adverse impact and risk to international experiment collaboration.46 We subsequently learnt that UKRI’s decision to stop funding a project at the Jodrell Bank Observatory could result in the closure of the site’s historic radio telescope. 47 41 C&AG’s Report, para 3.5, UK Research and Innovation, Explainer: STFC prioritisation outcomes 2026 to 2030, July 2026 42 UK Research and Innovation, Open letter from Ian Chapman to research and innovation community – UKRI, February 2026 43 Letter from the Group Chief Executive, Institute of Physics to PAC dated 8 June 2026; letter from Assistant Professor in High Energy Physics, University of Cambridge and Postdoctoral Research Associate, Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology, University of Durham to PAC dated 5 June 2026 44 Qq 1, 40 45 Qq 49-50 46 IRI0028 47 UK Research and Innovation, Factsheet: Jodrell Bank, e-MERLIN and UKRI funding – UKRI, July 2026 14