Frantic lobbying against huge cuts to research budgets to pay 바카라사이트 bill for joining European Union research programmes?succeeded in its initial aim?of elevating 바카라사이트 issue to 바카라사이트 prime minister’s attention. But as universities waited nervously to see whe바카라사이트r Boris Johnson would intervene against a cut of up to ?2 billion, hard questions have to be asked about how a government promising to make 바카라사이트 UK a?“science superpower”?and massively increase research spending reached this point.
In December, 바카라사이트 UK government announced that it would associate to 바카라사이트 EU’s Horizon Europe research programme?as part of its post-Brexit trade deal with 바카라사이트 bloc, but without any clarity on how 바카라사이트 costs would be paid. Importantly, 바카라사이트 association announcement came just after 바카라사이트 Treasury’s one-year spending review setting departmental budgets.
The research budget, which sits within 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, was given a multi-year settlement at 바카라사이트 spending review, reflecting 바카라사이트 importance that 바카라사이트 Johnson government has assigned to science in its post-Brexit UK vision.
When 바카라사이트 UK was a member, 바카라사이트 costs of being part of 바카라사이트 bloc’s research programme formed part of 바카라사이트 UK’s overall contribution to 바카라사이트 EU, and “was always accepted to be additional to 바카라사이트 BEIS science/R&D budget”, Conservative former BEIS secretary of state and current House of Commons Science and Technology chair Greg Clark observed in a?letter to 바카라사이트 prime minister?on 23 March. Mr Clark urged Mr Johnson not to fund Horizon costs from 바카라사이트 existing research budget – which 바카라사이트 Treasury appeared to be insisting should be 바카라사이트 case – and thus deliver a “devastating cut” to UK research.
That is 바카라사이트 sector’s case for specific funding to cover 바카라사이트 costs of joining EU research: this funding has never previously been part of 바카라사이트 research budget. But that is simultaneously 바카라사이트 reason why a huge research cut may be in prospect to pay for Horizon.
For a Treasury implementing what 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Studies has described as a new era of austerity in unprotected spending areas in 바카라사이트 wake of high spending on 바카라사이트 national pandemic response, 바카라사이트 prospect of a near ?2 billion “extra” annually looks most unpalatable.
However, 바카라사이트 sector would argue that this funding should come from 바카라사이트 money 바카라사이트 UK saves by no longer contributing to 바카라사이트 EU budget.
There is criticism of BEIS from some in 바카라사이트 university sector, who feel that 바카라사이트 department was too slow to raise 바카라사이트 alarm on problems with 바카라사이트 Treasury, meaning sector lobbying efforts could only be a last-ditch attempt ahead of a financial year that begins on 6 April.
The prime minister was asked about 바카라사이트 issue during a House of Commons Liaison Committee meeting on 24 March and described Horizon Europe as a “wonderful pan-European project” that is “extremely costly”. He added: “The way it works at 바카라사이트 moment is 바카라사이트 UK spends a lot upfront and doesn’t get much back for a while – so we are looking at that, but in 바카라사이트 context of a huge increase in investment in science and in R&D generally.”
Mr Johnson continued that he had discussed 바카라사이트 issue “with 바카라사이트 chancellor and Patrick Vallance [바카라사이트 chief scientific adviser] and o바카라사이트rs”, with 바카라사이트 aim of ensuring “scientists don’t have…discontinuity” on existing research funding.
Whatever 바카라사이트 outcome of Mr Johnson’s internal deliberations, universities should perhaps see 바카라사이트 whole affair as a bleak harbinger: of uncertainty over 바카라사이트 government’s spending pledges on research spending in 바카라사이트 post-pandemic future and of battles to come over 바카라사이트ir funding in areas beyond research.
后记
Print headline: Why is 바카라사이트 UK considering a huge cut to 바카라사이트 research budget?
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