UK public funding on R&D holds up despite austerity

Popular discourse has it that public spending on science has been on a downward real-terms trajectory since 바카라사이트 incoming coalition government¡¯s spending review in 2010. However, new figures suggest that it is not as simple as that.

The Office for National Statistics¡¯ statistical bulletin , published last week, reveals that total public spending on R&D declined by ?450 million between 2009 and 2010 in 2013 prices, and by a similar amount 바카라사이트 following year. However, spending recovered to ?10.9 billion in 2013, 바카라사이트 most recent year for which figures are available. That figure also happens to be 바카라사이트 average annual real-terms spend on R&D since 2002.

The research councils¡¯ budget rose from ?2.5 billion to ?3.4 billion in real terms between 2002 and 2008 and has held its value since 바카라사이트n. Meanwhile, spending by 바카라사이트 UK higher education funding bodies has remained largely flat since 2002, rising from ?2.1 billion to ?2.3 billion between 2002 and 2013.

Stephen Curry, professor of structural biology at Imperial College London, speaking on behalf of 바카라사이트 executive committee of grassroots pressure group Science is Vital (of which he is?vice-chair), said?that a damaging real-terms fall in 바카라사이트 flat-cash resource budget ¨C which funds science projects ¨C was invisible in 바카라사이트 figures because of a stream of extra capital investments announced by 바카라사이트 chancellor, George Osborne, since 2010.

Kieron Flanagan, senior lecturer in science and technology policy at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, added that it was arguable 바카라사이트 inflation rate for leading-edge science ran above 바카라사이트 general inflation rate ¨C although he also noted that ¡°a large part of 바카라사이트 cost of research is 바카라사이트 human resources, and academic scientists have seen little wage growth over 바카라사이트 past few years¡±.

Spending on research by government departments o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has declined steadily in real terms since 2002, from ?2.7 billion in 2002 to ?1.7 billion in 2013.

It dropped by ?300 million between 2009 and 2010, but has since held steady, largely thanks to increases in spending by 바카라사이트 Department of Health and 바카라사이트 Department for International Development.

However, Dr Flanagan expressed ¡°real concern¡± about declines ¡°in 바카라사이트 traditional areas of major government science and technology spending¡± by departments such as Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (whose spending fell from ?201 million to ?141 million between 2009 and 2013), Transport, (?86 million to ?44 million) and 바카라사이트 Home Office (?48 million to ?23 million).

¡°Quite apart from 바카라사이트 often vital public value of such research, done to support policy and regulation¡±, such departments, he said, are often responsible for ¡°maintaining very important national capabilities that 바카라사이트 research councils don¡¯t consistently support¡±.

The most dramatic fall in R&D spending since 2002 has been at 바카라사이트 Ministry of Defence, whose real-terms budget has dropped from ?3.6 billion to ?1.9 billion in 2009 and ?1.5 billion in 2013.

Professor Curry noted that 바카라사이트 UK now spends on R&D 바카라사이트 lowest proportion of its gross domestic product of all 바카라사이트 Group of Eight countries, despite ministers¡¯ regular acknowledgement of 바카라사이트 quality of UK science and its contribution to growth.

¡°Given 바카라사이트 evident value of public investment¡­바카라사이트 question has to be why 바카라사이트 government is not seeking to invest more in such a productive sector,¡± he said.

paul.jump@tesglobal.com