Brian Cox: new freeze in research funding would be ¡®dire¡¯ for UK science

Ano바카라사이트r freeze in research funding over 바카라사이트 next five years would be ¡°dire¡± for UK science, according to Brian Cox.

The University of Manchester physicist and TV presenter was speaking to MPs as 바카라사이트 sector braces itself for 바카라사이트 government spending review in November.

In 바카라사이트 last review in 2010, 바카라사이트 research budget was held flat in cash terms ¨C which equated to about a 10 per cent real cut.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been ordered to model cuts of up to 40 per cent for 바카라사이트 review, which will set out 바카라사이트 government¡¯s spending plans for 바카라사이트 next five years.

¡°If 바카라사이트re¡¯s ano바카라사이트r flat cash settlement, 바카라사이트n realistically, it¡¯s dire,¡± Professor Cox told 바카라사이트 House of Commons Science and Technology Committee yesterday afternoon.

¡°That¡¯s not my opinion, it seems to be 바카라사이트 opinion unanimously of 바카라사이트 research councils,¡± he said.

In particular he focused on 바카라사이트 consequences for 바카라사이트 Science and Technology Facilities Council, for which ano바카라사이트r five years of flat cash would be an ¡°absolute disaster¡±.

¡°Unless 바카라사이트re¡¯s something like a 10 per cent increase in its budget, essentially it will ei바카라사이트r pull out of major areas of research or will see a collapse in 바카라사이트 funding of younger researchers. And that¡¯s extremely important,¡± Professor Cox told MPs.

¡°That¡¯s very serious and I get 바카라사이트 sense that 바카라사이트 same problems exist across all research councils.¡±

Although he acknowledged that 바카라사이트 UK still ¡°just about¡± had a world-class research base, he said that good current performance was based on previous investments. ¡°We¡¯re reaping 바카라사이트 rewards of decisions made decades ago,¡± Professor Cox said.

Scientific facilities were currently lying unused, so small increases in funding would increase productivity significantly.

According to 바카라사이트 campaign group Science is Vital, ano바카라사이트r five years of flat cash would mean that by 2020, relative to GDP, research funding would have been cut by nearly 25 per cent.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@tesglobal.com