(Minister of State
(Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
(Universities and Science) (Joint with the Department for
Education)): I am pleased to announce that I have
today published the report “Changes and Choices”, co-authored by
Professor Sir and Professor Graeme
Reid. This report, which I commissioned in March of this year,
provides independent advice on the design of UK funding schemes
for international collaboration, innovation and curiosity-driven
blue-skies research. In the course of producing the report, Sir
Adrian and Professor Reid issued a call for evidence and engaged
in discussions with the research and innovation community across
the UK. I would like to place on record my thanks to Sir Adrian
and Professor Reid, as well as to all of those who engaged with
them to ensure that the UK continues to be a global leader in
science, research and innovation.
The UK’s world-leading science, research and innovation sector
delivers real economic and social benefits for communities across
the country. International collaboration allows us to work at
greater scale than the UK could alone – for example to
meaningfully tackle global challenges, such as climate change,
artificial intelligence, cancer, and the future ageing society.
In the Withdrawal Agreement Bill debate on 22 October, the Prime
Minister confirmed that “we will protect, preserve and enhance”
cooperation with European science and research funding
programmes.
Sir Adrian and Professor Reid highlight the importance of
stabilising and building on the UK capability built up through
our international partnerships to date. This Government has
participated in negotiations with European partners in a positive
spirit as Horizon Europe takes shape - and intends to consider
association to Horizon Europe provided the programme is open to
third country association and offers value for money to the UK.
Any decision about associating to the programme will need to take
place after both the Horizon Europe proposal and the Multiannual
Financial Framework discussions have been completed in Council.
This Government is committed to ensuring that the UK continues to
be a global science superpower. That is why we have committed to
increasing R&D investment to at least 2.4% of GDP by 2027 and
have announced our intention to significantly boost R&D
funding to provide greater long-term certainty to the scientific
community and accelerate our ambition to reach the 2.4% target.
In this context, I welcome Sir Adrian and Professor Reid’s
recommendation that the Government should set out a new vision
for international collaboration. The report will help inform our
ongoing ambition to deliver wide-ranging and effective research
and innovation collaborations with partners around the world.
Read the full report by Sir
