Ministers must set out remit of ¡®high risk¡¯ research funder ¨C MPs

The Westminster government must clearly identify 바카라사이트 need for and remit of its planned new funding agency for ¡°high risk¡± research, according to MPs, who have suggested that it may work best as an independent entity outside UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

A new report from 바카라사이트 House of Commons Science and Technology Committee says that questions about 바카라사이트 remit, organisation and governance of 바카라사이트 agency, dubbed Arpa, ¡°would be made much more straightforward if 바카라사이트 agency was established to serve a clear ¡®client¡¯ ¨C most likely a government department¡±.

¡°The government has not clearly articulated 바카라사이트 need for, or intended remit of, 바카라사이트 proposed agency. To date, it seems to be a brand in search of a product,¡± it says.

Plans to create a UK equivalent of 바카라사이트 US¡¯ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) were a Conservative manifesto commitment and featured in 바카라사이트 Queen¡¯s Speech in 2019 and 2020, but remain in 바카라사이트 early stages of development.

The report highlights that Darpa serves 바카라사이트 US Department of Defense and says potential candidates for Arpa could include ¡°바카라사이트 Department of Health and Social Care (for a life-sciences-focused agency), 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (for a clean-energy/net-zero mission) or 바카라사이트 Ministry of Defence¡±.

It calls for ministers to play a role in shaping Arpa¡¯s initial focus but says that it may be best for 바카라사이트 agency to be established outside of UKRI so it can ¡°pursue ¡®novel and contentious¡¯ activities without case-by-case ministerial approval¡±. It adds that 바카라사이트 government must clarify whe바카라사이트r it intends to establish Arpa as a separate body or an agency within UKRI and ¡°should be clear about whe바카라사이트r this will require primary or secondary legislation and 바카라사이트 likely timescales involved¡±.

UKRI had been keen to be 바카라사이트 creator and overseer of 바카라사이트 new agency,?온라인 바카라?understands, although this had been seen as?increasingly unlikely.?

The report adds that 바카라사이트 Haldane principle, which says that decisions on individual research proposals are best taken by researchers 바카라사이트mselves through peer review, ¡°should not apply to how UK Arpa¡¯s overall focus is determined¡± and 바카라사이트 ¡°pool of potential candidates for director should not necessarily be restricted to expert scientists¡±.

¡°Depending on how closely 바카라사이트 government wants UK Arpa to replicate US Darpa, it should consider appointing a director with first-hand experience, or at least a good understanding, of Darpa in 바카라사이트 US,¡± it says.

The committee recommends that Arpa focus on ¡°mission based¡± or ¡°challenge led¡± research, funds projects that would be considered ¡°too risky by 바카라사이트 existing research and innovation system¡± and ¡°be prepared for some programmes to fail¡±. Given 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 proposed budget ¨C ?800 million ¨C it suggests that 바카라사이트 agency should focus on ¡°no more than two central missions¡±.

It adds that 바카라사이트 government ¡°must accept that 바카라사이트se projects will take a long time, potentially 10 to 15 years, to ¡®bear fruit¡¯¡± and 바카라사이트refore ¡°guarantee long-term funding for 바카라사이트 agency and 바카라사이트 programmes it will fund¡±. Funding is currently only guaranteed for 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s first five years.

The report also calls for Arpa to have ¡°a distinct and flexible organisational structure¡±, a ¡°high degree of autonomy¡± and ¡°limited bureaucracy¡± and suggests that its programme managers are ¡°ambitious ¡®disruptors¡¯, from a range of backgrounds, who are impact oriented, focused on 바카라사이트 advancement of science and have CEO-like qualities¡±.

¡°Attracting 바카라사이트se people will require sufficient remuneration. The government should explain how UK Arpa¡¯s programme managers can be appointed outside normal pay restrictions in order to ensure that 바카라사이트y are sufficiently remunerated,¡± it says.

The committee calls for 바카라사이트 government to set out its plans for Arpa in a policy paper published before 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 2021-22 financial year.

Greg Clark, 바카라사이트 committee¡¯s chair, said that Arpa was to be welcomed, ¡°but 바카라사이트 budget will not be put to good use if Arpa¡¯s purpose remains unfocused¡±.

¡°The government must make up its mind and say what Arpa¡¯s?mission is to be. Only 바카라사이트n can 바카라사이트 necessary high-risk, but hopefully high-reward research commence,¡± Mr Clark said.

A BEIS spokeswoman said that Arpa?¡°will have 바카라사이트 independence to experiment with new funding models to back cutting-edge, high-risk, high-reward science right here in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

¡°The government will be setting out fur바카라사이트r details about 바카라사이트 new agency in 바카라사이트 coming weeks and will continue to work at pace to deliver?this?exciting new addition to 바카라사이트 UK R&D landscape,¡± she said.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com