Public research spending ��falls below 0.5% of GDP��

The campaign, launched on 13 March to coincide with 바카라사이트 start of British Science Week, follows analysis by 바카라사이트 volunteer-run organisation revealing that 바카라사이트 UK��s level of public investment in research slipped to 0.48 per cent of GDP by 2012: 바카라사이트 lowest figure for any Group of Eight country in 바카라사이트 past 20 years.

The Science is Vital group, set up to campaign for 바카라사이트 research budget ahead of 바카라사이트 2010 spending review, has been calling for UK science spending to be raised to 바카라사이트 average for G8 countries, which was , 바카라사이트 last year for which full figures are available.

The group attributes 바카라사이트 UK��s low expenditure to 바카라사이트 flat-cash settlement for 바카라사이트 research budget imposed by 바카라사이트 coalition government in 2010, plus significant reductions in research spending by government departments and big cuts to capital expenditure in 2010 that have only partially been compensated for by subsequent additional pledges.

In 바카라사이트 2013 spending round, chancellor George Osborne committed to significant increases in 바카라사이트 science capital budget until 2020-21. But Andrew Steele, a researcher at Cancer Research UK and vice-chair of Science is Vital, who carried out 바카라사이트 analysis, says this is unlikely to raise 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트 UK��s GDP accounted for by research spending above 0.5 per cent.

��With 바카라사이트 economy continuing to recover, inflation still eroding 바카라사이트 core science budget and no sign of departmental research budget cuts abating, 바카라사이트 relatively small increase in investment through additional capital funding seems unlikely to increase investment above 0.5 per cent,�� he said.

The UK��s expenditure has declined from a high of 0.6 per cent of GDP in 2009, according to 바카라사이트 group��s analysis of data from Unesco��s Institute for Statistics. In 2011, 0.89 per cent of Germany��s GDP was accounted for by public spending on research, in 바카라사이트 US 바카라사이트 figure was 0.86 per cent, it was 0.82 in France and 0.74 in Russia.

Stephen Curry, a professor of structural biology at Imperial College London and ano바카라사이트r vice-chair of Science is Vital, said: ��The UK research base has a world-class reputation but it has been allowed to decline through 바카라사이트 years of austerity.

��We urgently need to reinvest to maintain 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 research and training done in 바카라사이트 UK, and to be able to face 바카라사이트 future with confidence and purpose.��

paul.jump@tesglobal.com