Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
UKRI's strategic objectives lack specificity, measurability, and time-bound targets for effective monitoring.
Recommendation
To be able to articulate the value of public investment in R&I, it is vital that UKRI can monitor progress and performance against specific targets and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). In 2018, when UKRI was formed, DSIT set 10 strategic objectives for UKRI and published them in a framework document. In 2022, UKRI published its first five-year strategy, with six strategic objectives.21 None of these objectives are specific, measurable or time-bound meaning it is difficult to understand what UKRI is seeking to achieve and what DSIT expects UKRI to achieve.22 DSIT acknowledged that it can and should do more to address this and told us that it intends to introduce more measurable outcomes for UKRI during summer 2025.23
Government Response Summary
The government accepted the recommendation, stating DSIT is developing strategic objectives for UKRI, underpinned by measurable key results, which will be published by Autumn 2025.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
2.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Autumn 2025 2.2 DSIT is developing strategic objectives for UKRI in order to monitor its delivery against government priorities, including the five missions and the Industrial Strategy. The strategic objectives will be underpinned by a set of measurable key results. DSIT will publish the strategic objectives and key results by Autumn 2025. 2.3 As set out in the Industrial Strategy, the new strategic objectives will set out UKRI’s role in enabling innovation, commercialisation, and scale-up across the UK. The strategic objectives will also detail UKRI’s critical role in protecting curiosity-driven research.