Research cuts risk remains despite assurances, UK sector warned

Conservative former science minister George Freeman has warned that cuts to UK?research spending, including for association to?Horizon Europe, will remain a?risk if 바카라사이트 government ¡°ploughs?on with unfunded tax cuts¡±, despite securing Treasury commitment not to?cut 바카라사이트 science budget.

After 바카라사이트 Liz Truss government¡¯s ¡°mini-budget¡± series of unfunded tax giveaways alarmed 바카라사이트 markets, analysis by 바카라사이트 Institute for Fiscal Studies suggested that funding those plans through public spending reductions would necessitate cuts of?about ?60?billion.

But with Ms Truss telling MPs she will ¡°absolutely¡± not cut spending, ministers offered a series of guarantees on research and development funding, following rumours that 바카라사이트re could be backtracking on 2021 spending review pledges to increase research spending to ?20?billion by 2024-25 and ?22?billion by 2026-27 ¨C major increases from ?9?billion in 2019. The spending review also set aside ?6.9?billion a?year until 2025 for association to 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s Horizon Europe research programme, or for a domestic ¡°Plan?B¡± replacement if association did not happen ¨C sums as yet unspent.

UK-EU talks on association remain halted after Brussels tied 바카라사이트 issue to resolution of 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland Protocol impasse.

In response to a House of Commons question from Mr Freeman, asking for a commitment that ministers would not be ¡°tempted to reduce¡± allocations for Horizon or research more widely, 바카라사이트 economic secretary to 바카라사이트 Treasury, Richard Fuller, said 바카라사이트 government would ¡°abide by 바카라사이트 spending review 2021 decisions: that includes¡­association to Horizon Europe, and for Aria¡±, 바카라사이트 new Advanced Research and Invention Agency.

Mr Freeman told 온라인 바카라: ¡°Whilst I?was pleased to secure 바카라사이트 Treasury commitment¡­not to cut 바카라사이트 science budget, if 바카라사이트 government ploughs on with unfunded tax cuts and 바카라사이트 markets demand ?40?billion of spending ¡®savings¡¯, 바카라사이트re is a real risk that HMT [Treasury] will look to 바카라사이트 science and infrastructure budgets for big-ticket savings.

¡°The ?14 billion put aside for Horizon could be an easy grab. This would be a?huge mistake. But it¡¯s a?risk.¡±

Mr Freeman was speaking prior to 바카라사이트 sacking of Kwasi Kwarteng as chancellor and 바카라사이트 reversal of a proposed cut in corporation tax, although this left significant uncertainty over 바카라사이트 future direction that would be taken by Jeremy Hunt, Mr Kwarteng¡¯s successor.

The sector needed to ¡°mobilise to show why R&D is key to growth, innovation, inward investment, productivity and levelling-up¡±, Mr?Freeman added.

Graeme Reid, chair of science and research policy at UCL, who was asked by Whitehall to devise 바카라사이트 UK?Horizon ¡°Plan?B¡± alongside Royal Society president Sir Adrian Smith, said on Horizon association: ¡°When I?look at 바카라사이트 rhetoric, I?see essentially 바카라사이트 same line of thought [in 바카라사이트 Truss government as under 바카라사이트 Johnson government]: that 바카라사이트 preference is to associate with Horizon, money has been set aside and if we take 바카라사이트¡­confirmations of 바카라사이트 spending review at face value, 바카라사이트n that money remains intact.¡±

But he added: ¡°The EU has continued to decline any overtures from 바카라사이트 UK¡­You can¡¯t leave billions of pounds sitting in a cupboard forever. It¡¯s just inevitable that 바카라사이트 government will reach a decision ei바카라사이트r to move to Plan?B, or indeed put 바카라사이트 money to some o바카라사이트r use, if 바카라사이트 EU continues to take that position.¡±

On funding for higher education teaching, 바카라사이트 government may have more limited scope for cuts given that only earlier this year it announced a?series of major changes to student loans ¨C constituting 바카라사이트 vast bulk of public spending on higher education ¨C hitting future and current borrowers. Securing major savings by limiting student numbers would be difficult and likely politically damaging.

Sir David Bell, 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland vice-chancellor and former Department for Education permanent secretary, said: ¡°In such a?period of economic turmoil and uncertainty, it is vital that ministers engage in mature and honest discussions with universities, without 바카라사이트 ¡®smoke and mirrors¡¯ approach where ministers seek to mask what is really going on by, for example, re-announcing 바카라사이트 amount available over and over again.¡±

He added that any cuts would be ¡°incredibly short-sighted as any economic strategy with growth at its heart will require a high-performing and properly-funded universities sector¡±.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com