The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has written
to the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP urging her to
acknowledge the central importance of science and technology in
delivering economic growth and more efficient public services,
and to redouble efforts to embed science and technology at the
heart of Government
The letter draws on the Committee’s recent inquiry into
“delivering a science and technology strategy”, and makes several
specific recommendations to the new administration:
- A science minister should be appointed at the earliest
opportunity, and this should be a Cabinet-level position
- The UK should maintain and redouble efforts towards reaching
2.4% of its GDP spent on research and development by 2027, in
line with other OECD countries. It should not row back on
laudable commitments to funding increases which have already been
eroded by inflation.
- The Government should reconsider its decision to disband the
National Science and Technology Council. A dedicated subcommittee
of Cabinet that provides a forum within which issues of science
and technology that cut across Government departments can be
discussed and actioned is of substantial value.
The Committee wishes to emphasise its broad conclusions from the
recent inquiry – that the previous administration’s ambitions
regarding science and technology, as well as the commitment to
increase funding, were laudable, but that it is now time to move
from ambition to a detailed implementation plan.
