How can technology, research and innovation support the UK's economic recovery? MPs to launch inquiry 

  The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee is to launch an inquiry into The role of technology, research and innovation in the COVID-19 recovery. Given previous UKRI figures estimate that every £1 spent on research and development delivers £7 in economic and social benefit, the Committee is interested in the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sector, and will seek to conclude how technology, research and innovation can be supported to aid economic growth. 

The Committee therefore seeks views on the following questions by Friday 11 September: 

· What role can technology, research and innovation play in supporting the UK’s economic recovery from COVID-19 and how can it best be supported in this?  

· Does the current or post-COVID situation lead to any particular opportunities or challenges for economic growth driven by technology, research and innovation?  

· What lessons can be learnt from the role of technology, research and innovation in recoveries from previous economic downturns, and how relevant are these to the current situation?  

· How have research and innovation in UK universities, businesses and other settings been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and how might they be affected by any lasting changes post-COVID?  

· How effective have measures adopted by the Government to support research and innovation, such as the support packages for innovative firms and university researchers, and the ‘Ministerial University Research and Knowledge Exchange Sustainability Taskforce’, been?   

· In the context of the Government’s ‘Research and Development Roadmap’, what shorter-term measures can best support UK research and innovation in recovering from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and adapting to the post-COVID environment?  

Chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, said: 

"COVID-19's impact on the UK's economy has been significant and we are starting to see signs of recovery.

“One thing that is clear is that the deployment of new technologies is likely to be accelerated as a result of the crisis as we work and live our lives differently. There will also be a need and an appetite for new discoveries, with opportunities for the UK’s scientists and technologists to play a leading role in recovering from the effects of the crisis.

“We see an important role for institutions, companies and people across every part of the United Kingdom to contribute to the recovery and the Inquiry will be considering how that can best be done.”