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| 23/02/05 Central Bureaucracy in Science You report that the DTI maintains that 'only 17 per cent' of the science budget is administered centrally, contradicting the statement by Save British Science that the figure has risen from 2 per cent in 1997 to more than 20 per cent today [Researct Fortnight, 9/2/05]. Our figures came from The Forward Look, the official publication reporting government-funded science, engineering and technology, which shows that in the current year, the science budget is £2556 million, of which £541 million is attributed to the OST and DTI centrally and the remainder to the Research Councils. Unfortunately, the Government has refused to adopt the repeated recommendation of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee that The Forward Look become and annual publication. This means that these official figures could have been revised since the current edition was published in 2003, and this may explain the DTI's figure of 17 per cent. Even if this figure is correct, it would remain true that the centrally-held funds have risen by hundreds of per cent since 1997, while the budget of, say, the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council has risen by just 6 per cent in real terms. DTI spokespeople tell Research Fortnight the central money is for 'infrastructure, knowledge transfer and flexibility,' all of which are essential (and the money is unquestionably welcome) but they do not explain why these areas must be handled by ministers and central bureaucrats rather than by the Research Councils acting as the scientific community's representatives.
21/02/05 Scientific Innovation Speaking in Manchester, SBS Director Dr Peter Cotgreave said: "The politicians have spoken about their commitment to science and the industrialists have spoken about their passion for innovation; now we need to make sure that these two ideas are joining up effectively, to ensure that the UK economy reaps the maximum benefits of our scientific leadership."
15/02/05 Outdoor Learning
14/02/05 Prime Minister's Policy Unit "We especially wanted to point out that the problem is no longer just about the total quantum of money being invested, it's about the way it is used," said Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of SBS. "For example, the Higher Education Funding Council's unwarranted decision to change the rate of funding for sciences relative to other subjects is putting at risk the Prime Minister's and the Chancellor's commitment to making the UK the best place in the world for science."
07/02/05 University Science Departments "When a student whose department is closing down appeared before the House of Commons Committee, she was well-briefed, made a clear case, and was convincing," said Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of SBS, " but when the Chief Executive of HEFCE followed her, he was not in the least bit convincing. HEFCE has made some bad decisions, and set about putting them right, or more students like this one will see their departments summarily closed."
02/02/05 Research Councils UK "When a new body is set up, it costs money," said Dr Peter Cotgreave, Director of SBS, "and you have to justify those costs. As was clear from the evidence session this morning, that has not yet really happened in the case of RCUK". |