Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
41st Report - UK Research and Innovation
Public Accounts Committee
HC 826
Published 23 July 2025
Conclusions (5)
8
Conclusion
UKRI must also balance meeting the UK’s longer and shorter-term research and innovation needs when deciding where to allocate funding. It faces an inherent tension in allocating funding with government priorities in mind, while not stifling the innovation needed for future R&D.11 Professor Boyle felt that UKRI also has role …
9
Conclusion
DSIT told us that it asks UKRI to work closely with departments, such as the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, ensure governmental R&I work is joined up.14 The NAO found 105 government policy papers across 13 ministerial departments in the …
13
Conclusion
Not Addressed
DSIT and UKRI advised us that private sector investment in UK R&I was £46.7 billion in 2024.27 We asked whether private investment in UK R&I has gone up or down in recent years. DSIT advised that it is going up, but that due to a correction to the ONS data …
Government Response Summary
The government states it is developing and will publish strategic objectives and key results for UKRI by Autumn 2025 to monitor its delivery against government priorities. However, this response does not address the committee's observation about the lack of long-term private sector R&I investment data.
27
Conclusion
In correspondence following the session, DSIT stated that UKRI’s investment in Quantum Hubs has generated 17 spinout companies to date, 14 of which are still active. Similarly, DSIT wrote that UKRI has invested over £700m in synthetic biology R&I since 2007, including £115m into the Synthetic Biology for Growth Programme …
29
Conclusion
DSIT stressed that specific skills are needed to turn research into commercial success.78 Professor Grant told us that UKRI plays a much bigger role than people realise in building the skills of people who move from research into industry.79 UKRI told us it has done a lot of work to …