Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 26
26
Accepted in Part
Review UK public research and innovation institutions for industrial strategy alignment and commercialisation.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Department for Business & Trade and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology now conduct a review of the UK’s public research and innovation institutions to ensure they are in alignment with the industrial strategy and that there is clear institutional leadership of research and development for the eight priority sectors, for example by ensuring a lead Catapult in each sector. In particular, the Government should focus on ensuring that the UK has an effective system in place to help UK firms commercialise their innovations in the UK. We recommend the review looks at the lessons the UK can learn from institutions in other countries, such as Fraunhofer Centres in Germany. (Recommendation, Paragraph 113)
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the need for alignment and leadership in R&D, stating it will give UKRI new objectives to enable innovation and commercialisation, and ensure the Catapult Network is focused on industrial strategy priorities. However, it does not commit to conducting the recommended comprehensive review of institutions or examining lessons from other countries.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
15.1. The Government recognises the importance of aligning the UK’s R&D spend with our Industrial Strategy priorities. The Industrial Strategy confirms that the Government will prioritise support for innovation towards the eight growth-driving sectors, and the city regions and clusters where they are concentrated, ensuring that they are prioritised by our public funding bodies, such as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). 15.2. To ensure there is clear institutional leadership, UKRI will be given new objectives to set out its role in delivering government priorities, including enabling innovation, commercialisation, and scale-up across the UK. Innovate UK, as the UK’s innovation agency, will play a central role in accelerating the commercialisation of new technology. We will ensure that the Catapult Network, which Innovate UK funds, is also focused on our Industrial Strategy priorities.