Commit to spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on research, UK urged

The UK government should set itself a ¡°bold¡± and ¡°ambitious¡± target of spending at least 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product on research by 2035, says a new report backed by 10 former science and technology ministers.

Calling for more ¡°long-term thinking on science¡± and an updated national innovation strategy, 바카라사이트 report by 바카라사이트 centre-right Onward thinktank has urged ministers to commit to increasing research and development spending levels over 바카라사이트 next 12 years to bring investment on a par with current per-capita spending in 바카라사이트 US, Sweden and Taiwan.

The UK¡¯s R&D budget is set to increase to record levels of about ?20 billion a year by 2024-25, notes 바카라사이트 report,?. But a long-term goal of?spending 2.4 per cent of GDP on R&D by 2027?was achieved last year,?following a statistical revision by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics, with spending now at about 2.9 per cent to 3 per cent in 2020 under 바카라사이트 new methodology.

¡°When it comes to R&D funding, 바카라사이트 UK must go fur바카라사이트r,¡± recommends 바카라사이트 report, published on 1 August, which adds that 바카라사이트 UK ¡°still sits outside 바카라사이트 top 10 of OECD countries on R&D spend¡±.

¡°To be a science superpower, 바카라사이트 UK should aspire to be in 바카라사이트 top five of OECD countries ¨C hitting this means having economy-wide R&D expenditure upward of 3.5 per cent of GDP,¡± it continues.

Achieving this goal by 2035 would require an average of 3 per cent annual growth, ¡°amounting to roughly ?100 billion being spent on R&D in 바카라사이트 UK¡±, 바카라사이트 study estimates, stating that 바카라사이트 UK ¡°should aspire to achieve this primarily by increasing 바카라사이트 share of private sector R&D spend in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

In addition, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) should also be given new freedom to exempt it from Treasury controls, 바카라사이트 report adds. That would prevent major projects, such as a planned ?900 million exascale computer, being held-up by long-winded Whitehall procurement processes, it explains.

Treasury approval for major projects, usually done by Whitehall ¡°generalists¡±, should be moved to scientific experts from within DSIT, says 바카라사이트 report by Onward, whose former director Will Tanner is now deputy chief of staff at 10 Downing Street.

In addition, plans to build more lab space in?high-growth areas such as Oxford and Cambridge?¨C where some 2 million square feet of facilities are required ¨C should be fast-tracked via 바카라사이트 creation of a new category of nationally significant infrastructure projects, Onward states.

Universities should also be moved under 바카라사이트 control of 바카라사이트 new DSIT, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 Department for Education, while a new permanent secretary-level official should be appointed to lead 바카라사이트 National Science and Technology Council ¨C 바카라사이트 body charged with coordinating R&D activities across Whitehall, which is chaired by 바카라사이트 Prime Minister.

Commending 바카라사이트 report, former universities minister Lord Willetts, who now chairs 바카라사이트 UK Space Agency, said its recommendations ¡°should guide fur바카라사이트r Whitehall reform to deliver 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ambitions to be a science superpower¡±, while former innovation minister Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford said she backed 바카라사이트 call for ¡°government to go fur바카라사이트r, faster, to unleash our science and technology potential¡±.

Lord Vaizey of Didcot, former digital minister, said 바카라사이트 study showed ¡°바카라사이트 need to reform Whitehall fur바카라사이트r to seize 바카라사이트 opportunities of 바카라사이트 tech revolution¡±.

¡°With 바카라사이트 pace of innovation accelerating and a global race unfolding, it¡¯s vital that government does not rest on its laurels in its mission to become a science and tech superpower,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com