Tory ex-minister warns PM against ¡®devastating¡¯ UK research cuts

Former Conservative minister Greg Clark has urged 바카라사이트 prime minister to personally intervene to stop cuts to UK research funding, warning that reducing existing budgets by up to ?2 billion to pay 바카라사이트 bill for joining Horizon Europe would be ¡°devastating¡±.

The House of Commons Science and Technology chair released a to Boris Johnson on 23 March, warning that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s aims to make 바카라사이트 UK a ¡°science superpower¡± ¨C outlined in last week¡¯s Integrated Review of defence and foreign policy ¨C would be jeopardised by 바카라사이트 cuts.

온라인 바카라?reported last week that sector figures described 바카라사이트 Treasury as taking a ¡°you wanted it, you pay for it¡± approach to Horizon Europe funding in talks with 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on its budget settlement ¨C and warned that only 바카라사이트 prime minister¡¯s rapid personal intervention could stop 바카라사이트 cuts.

Mr Clark, a former secretary of state in BEIS, writes in 바카라사이트 letter: ¡°It is deeply concerning that at 바카라사이트 very moment when 바카라사이트 whole country recognises 바카라사이트 importance of scientific research and when a government has been elected with a promise to double 바카라사이트 budget for research, that 바카라사이트 science budget should be facing immediate and substantial cuts involving 바카라사이트 cancellation of current research.¡±

The letter highlights suggestions ¡°that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s participation in Horizon Europe will be funded (at a cost of ?2 billion a year) from 바카라사이트 BEIS science budget. While 바카라사이트 UK was a member state this formed part of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s overall subscription to 바카라사이트 European Union and was always accepted to be additional to 바카라사이트 BEIS science/R&D budget.

¡°To now deduct this from 바카라사이트 science budget would reduce 바카라사이트 UKRI budget for science and research by nearly a quarter just at 바카라사이트 point when it was expected that resources would be increasing. That would be a devastating reduction which would reverse two years of intended increases and mean that 바카라사이트 ambition for Britain to be a science superpower would be deferred for much of this parliament.¡±

The letter also criticises cuts made by BEIS to funding for overseas research partnerships, as well as warning that medical research charities such as Cancer Research UK have not been supported to mitigate huge drops in fundraising income in 바카라사이트 pandemic.

¡°In 바카라사이트 midst of a global pandemic, where we owe so much to science, and at a time when 바카라사이트 government has rightly chosen to double our national commitment to science, it would be paradoxical if science funding were cut,¡± Mr Clark writes.

¡°Knowing how personally important 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s strength in science is to you and to 바카라사이트 government, and at this moment of maximum recognition of its impact, I would appreciate your personal attention to resolving this urgent situation.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com