, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of
State for Science, Innovation and Technology, commenting
on the UK rejoining the Horizon scheme, said:
“Today's announcement is a relief after years of Conservative
Prime Ministers putting party above country. However, this
announcement is too late for many researchers, businesses and
academics who have already lost out in billions of funding and
taken their jobs and expertise elsewhere.
“Our world-leading research base deserves a government that
matches their ambition. Labour's industrial strategy will support
our world-leading sectors like life sciences and will unlock the
potential of our scientific community.”
Ends
Notes:
Labour has set out a number of initial steps we would take to
support life sciences as part of our industrial strategy
and health mission;
- Deliver a comprehensive innovation and adoption strategy for
our health service, working with the life science industries and
aligning with the life sciences vision;
- Reform procurement to spread adoption of new innovation, so
innovators have a clear route to get their product into the
NHS;
- Identify and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, so we do not
unnecessarily re-evaluate products;
- Work with the Care Quality Commission to ensure regulation
involves speedy adoption of new technology.
- Scale up deployment of homegrown, clean energy to provide
manufacturers and labs with a cheap, reliable source of power. AZ
have specifically cited the lack of ambition on green energy in
their decision to locate a new manufacturing facility in the
Republic of Ireland.
- An industrial strategy, backed by an independent advisory
council on statutory footing, to provide certainty and confidence
to investors.
- Measures to ensure the UK capitalises on its world-leading
universities and research base to grow the number of spinouts,
including reform of the British Business Bank.
