“Just really stupid” - Experts describe contradictions at the heart of Government’s innovation strategy

Damaged relationships and contradictory policies have negatively impacted the UKs position as a global leader in research, development and innovation, experts have told a panel of MPs and business leaders.

The UK Trade and Business Commission took evidence from representatives of universities and other bodies leading innovation and development in the UK who cited increased cost for academics wanting to work in the UK from overseas as well as cuts to R&D funding.

On the same day that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy launched a new innovation strategy, witnesses cited the detrimental impact that has stemmed from a lack of long term planning, funding and joined-up working across government departments.

Martin Smith, Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Wellcome Trust summarised the contradictions at the heart of the government’s approach. He said: “There’s never been a better time or stronger appetite for R&D from government at the highest levels, from the Prime Minister, Number 10, there’s a lot of saying the right thing… but then we have these ludicrous situations where suddenly it looks like we might have a £1 billion cut to research funding and then suddenly having to mobilise a huge campaign to stop the government from doing something that’s just really stupid and completely the opposite of what theyre trying to achieve.”

Jamie Arrowsmith, Assistant Director of Policy for Universities UK international provided an example by explaining the impact which cuts to foreign aid, had for existing research projects and the damage it did to the UKs reputation: “The cuts to, in particular, the global challenges research funding due to the removal of the ODR target of spending 0.7% of GDP on development, that created really significant challenges for universities… There are research projects where there were legal commitments and contracts in place where funding has been cut and I think that only have a negative impact.”

The Commission heard that visas for researchers from overseas to work in the UK cost more than 5 times on average compared to other leading scientific nations.  Professor Chirs Pearce, Vice Principal of Research at the University of Glasgow explained the damage caused by an inward looking government policy and uncertainty following Brexit. He said: “European funding supported major R&D collaborations as well as supporting knowledge exchange and enabled lasting partnerships to be developed. Over the last few years a lot of those partnerships will have dissolved."

Naomi Weir, Head of Innovation at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), echoed these sentiments. She said: “Trust, aligned aims, certainty, lots of this has been eroded somewhat with the UK as being a trusted partner in recent years... It’s important the UK’s brand is seen as a trusted partner and is really helpful for our businesses and for others looking to make those collaborations and anything we can do in terms of long term certainty around funding around programmes and around infrastructure will really help with that.” 

Professor Shearer West CBE, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Nottingham, who co-chaired this session of the commission said:

“There is real potential for research and development to help drive forward the economic recovery post-Covid and to ensure that we maintain and develop the UK as a global leader.

"What we have heard today clearly demonstrates the appetite and ambition to do just that, although there is frustration about vacillations in research funding over the last few months.  A longer term strategy from the government is essential to ensure this ambition can be delivered.

Dr Geoff Mackey, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director for BASF who also chaired the session added:

“The government’s ambition to make the UK a science superpower, overlooks the fact that in so many respects, we already are one, previously punching way above our weight in terms of research outputs.

“"This has been built on generations of strong international partnerships and collaboration. Today's evidence would indicate that the policies currently being pursued are harming our science superpower status-not helping it."