Government Warns of Impending Changes to Research Budgets

In his address on future proposals for the British Science Industry presented at Queen Mary University, London, (8th September) Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade, warned that research spending would not escape cutbacks as the Government proceeds with decisions that will shape its forthcoming comprehensive spending review (CSR).

With calls for British scientists to improve “their links with industry and earn more from the patenting and licensing of their discoveries,” many scientists fear that the long-term effects would result in the UK losing its competitive status as a leader in many fields of research, “with the loss of significant numbers of postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers, leading to a lost generation of scientists and
engineers and draining innovation from the economy,” (Guardian, Sept 8)

Exactly where cuts will fall was not clear as Mr Cable voiced support for ‘blue skies research’ and areas in which the UK had a strong global lead (see BIA response below), but he emphasised that there is no room for justifying the use of tax payers money in support of research which is neither “commercially useful” nor theoretically outstanding.

In his initial response to the speech, Tim Collins, Director – Laboratory Technology Sector, GAMBICA, told Labmate UK & Ireland that the Minister’s speech contained many ‘mixed’, messages;

“(Dr Cable) points out that many of our international competitors are actually increasing (substantially) their spending into R&D. He also points out that there is a lot of evidence to connect innovation and economic performance. The other point picked up on by many is his comment about “cutting of mediocre research”.

The responses from other esteemed centres (Universities UK, The Royal Society, Million+ and Prof Colin Blakemore) all say pretty much the same thing, in that there isn’t any mediocre research and it would be a false economy to cut spending in this area.”

So what is the likely impact if cuts are made?
“Firstly I am not sure cuts will be made. Does this government really want to be the one that sets back the UK economy for years, no decades (and possibly for ever, as these things once lost are often never recovered). Labour maybe blamed by many for the financial mess we are in but the UK is very reliant on high tech manufacturing and services as we have little natural resources or old fashion
manufacturing left.

Cutting support for research would seem the worst possible scenario. Maybe they are softening us up for a stand-still in funding with a “wow that was close but ….” Remember this is politics and usually these things are very carefully staged.”

However, should drastic funding cuts occur, Mr Collins was also in no doubt about the longer term effects on the scientific and business community:

“Should cuts be made then the impact to the UK economy would be felt by the laboratory technology supply industry sooner than the rest of the economy. Less research, less customers, less sales. The loss of some companies in our sector would no doubt follow, along with the jobs.

“The worry longer term is that companies spinning out of universities, research centres and other collaborations would reduce too. These companies are not only the future clients to our sector but also the future revenue earners for the economy.

“Although it is always difficult to show the exact ROI from government investment in R&D, there have been a number of studies that show it contributes enormously (The MRC/Wellcome trust/AMS report indicates that for every £1 invested in R&D it returns £0.30p per year, (for ever).

The laboratory technology industry is a net exporter for the UK. It contributed over £330million (ONS data) in 2008 to the UK GDP and that looks like it increased quite substantially last year, despite the recession.

Many of these companies (in the laboratory technology sector) work with, were spun out of, or continue to collaborate with their clients in the research market but perhaps not always as much as they should. In recent years that collaboration has improved but much more could be done and that is where the government should be looking to get more by fostering closer links from research to industry
(in all areas) and other researchers overseas, not by cutting the research budget.”

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*see more on http:// www.Guardian.co uk