Articles and Speeches

Government ‘shirking responsibility’ for science cuts 

Tuesday, 17^th June 2008.  Press Release

Following the Government’s response to the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee’s report into the Science Budget Allocations, Shadow Science and Innovation Minister Adam Afriyie said:

“The Government is shirking responsibility for a funding crisis of its own making.

“Ministers created the new physics research council, they allocated its budget, and they are responsible for cuts that damage British science.

“Boasting about more investment in science will fall on deaf ears when researchers across the country face redundancy.

“The shortfalls highlight either departmental incompetence in allocating the budget, or a deliberate decision to allocate less than what was needed.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Government today published its response to the House of Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee report into the Science Budget Allocations: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmdius/639/639.pdf

The select committee report criticised the Government in four main areas:

1. Politicisation of research council funding:

‘…in the 2007 allocations process the Government has had a significant influence on how this Science Budget will be spent’

2. Micromanagement of research council budgets:

‘It is of course acceptable for the Government to set priorities for UK research but not for it to micromanage individual Research Council budgets.’

3. Allocation of insufficient funds:

‘We are concerned that the Government has failed to protect both the existing and planned research base by allocating insufficient funds to cover FEC and the new bodies.’

4. Creation of the Science and Technology Facilities Council

‘The Government’s expectation that STFC would be ready for a new CSR was overly ambitious.’

Contact Details:

Telephone: 020 7219 8023

Email: afriyiea@parliament.uk