Spring Statement | Horizon Europe | Science Strategy | Sector Reviews | Levelling-Up |
Discovery Decade | New Members | New CaSE staff | Guest blog
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R&D in the Spring Statement |
Last week CaSE responded to the Chancellor's Spring Statement, which included announcements on reform to R&D tax credits and the government's targets on public R&D investment.
CaSE has long-called for changes to the R&D tax credit system and we are pleased that government are listening to the concerns of the sector, but progress towards overall R&D investment targets risk being undermined by rising inflation and a worsening economy. As the economic outlook changes, we're calling on the Chancellor to set out further measures to protect the government’s ambitions for R&D.
Earlier this month BEIS published its R&D budget allocations, and CaSE offered our analysis, including takes on UKRI, Horizon Europe and ARIA. Before the allocations were announced we published a guest article from Emma Lindsell at UKRI, offering a fascinating insight into UKRI's thinking as they compile the allocations.
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Welcome news on Horizon Europe |
As part of the recent R&D allocations, the government announced a £6.8bn multi-year budget for EU collaboration, which signals a desire to get association with Horizon Europe over the line. The allocation rolls over any unspent budget from this financial year into the next, plus the government have extended their guarantee for successful Horizon Europe applicants until the end of this year, which will hopefully provide greater stability for scientists and researchers.
CaSE and others across the sector continue to call for the political agreement required for UK participation in Horizon Europe to be resolved as quickly as possible. At the end of last year we added our name to a joint letter from the sector to the Chief Negotiator to the EU, and our Executive Director appeared on BBC Radio 4’s The Today programme calling for the UK and EU to secure effective research cooperation.
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New strategy for science and technology |
Last month CaSE Executive Director Professor Sarah Main appeared at the Lords Science and Technology Committee inquiry on the new UK science and technology strategy
This follows Government plans to establish a new Office for Science and Technology Strategy, headed by the Government Chief Scientist and based in the Cabinet Office, alongside a National Science and Technology Council chaired by the Prime Minister. CaSE has long-called for a strategic, cross-government approach to science and we're delighted that plans on this are being taken forward.
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Feeding our views into sector-wide reviews |
The R&D ecosystem is seeing three reviews of its work; Paul Nurse’s review of the organisational landscape, David Grant’s review of UKRI and Adam Tickell’s review of research bureaucracy. Although commissioned and working separately, each will report back around the same time. We're pleased to have been invited to feed our views and the views of our members into these reviews. We hope that researchers on the ground, funders, and government can all contribute their thinking on how to make the most of the R&D uplift and how we can deliver a research and innovation-intensive UK that everyone can access. |
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The levelling-up white paper was published last month, with government recognising R&D as a vital factor in growth and prosperity for all parts of the UK, and our response received coverage in The Times. CaSE had opportunities to feed into the government's work and we are pleased to see recommendations from our recent Power of Place report incorporated into the final white paper.
CaSE has taken a further look at what the levelling-up agenda means for research and innovation across the UK. There had been some concern that levelling-up would see investment diverted away from the south east, however our analysis shows this won’t be the case. We've also continued our call for the Shared Prosperity Fund to retain R&D and innovation infrastructure as a core purpose.
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CaSE is taking forward the next steps of our Discovery Decade project, working with the wider sector to grow public support for R&D. We've just convened the first meeting of the project's newly announced Advisory Board and have recruited a staff member to complete the team. The next step will be to commission an external agency to deliver an extensive audience research project. Do get in touch with the Project Director to discuss any area of the project in more detail and how you can
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Cranfield University and AMRICC join CaSE |
CaSE are pleased to welcome Cranfield University and the Applied Materials Research, Innovation & Commercialisation Company (AMRICC) as new members.
We look forward to working closely with both organisations to harness their expertise and ensure their voices are heard at the highest levels of government, alongside all of our members. If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a member of CaSE please contact Henry Gates.
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We're delighted to welcome Joe Kiely as Policy Officer on a six month secondment from the Wellcome Trust. Joe's role involves supporting the delivery of CaSE's policy objectives and providing extra resource to the whole team. We also said goodbye to James Tooze earlier this year, who has moved on to a new role with Imperial College London. James served as Policy Officer with CaSE for nearly four years and he wrote a guest piece reflecting on his time with us.
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CaSE's guest blog series brings together topical comment and views from members and collaborators across the science and engineering sector. In our latest piece, Lisa Morrison Coulthard, Research Director at the National Foundation for Education Research, writes about their new research programme providing insights into the essential employment skills needed for the future workforce.
If you would like to write an article for our blog, please get in touch.
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Engaging with the sector over the last month |
CaSE's Executive Director has appeared as a panellist on a number of policy events, including on ARIA and the UK's R&D funding landscape. CaSE staff have also attended other events including the Royal Society Pairing Scheme in Westminster and a British Science Association event with the Science Minister as part of British Science Week.
CaSE has also held meeting with members and collaborators including AMRC, AMRICC, British Psychological Society, EngineeringUK, Royal Society, University of Bath, University of Cambridge and the Learned Society of Wales.
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We want CaSE’s work to reach across the science and engineering sector and ensure our policy work is having the biggest impact it can. But we need your help to do this.
Please forward this e-bulletin onto your friends, colleagues and any others in your network that you feel would find this update of interest. They can also sign up for future e-bulletins below.
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info@sciencecampaign.org.uk | www.sciencecampaign.org.uk |
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