European Framework Programme 10

Debate between Baroness Finlay of Llandaff and Lord Vallance of Balham

Thursday 4th September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Vallance of Balham (Lab)]

I wrote to vice-chancellors to encourage them to make sure they apply to get into all of the scheme, and that had an effect on applications. I am doing the same with trade bodies and other parts of industry to get them linked. The general point about links between academia and industry is crucial; we need much closer collaboration. The noble Baroness will see, as we go through our next REF exercise to assess universities, that the links to industry are going to be a very important part of that.

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)]

My Lords, I declare I am a professor at Cardiff University. Can the Minister explain how there is co-ordination between the devolved Administrations? In terms of which Ministers and departments are involved, as mentioned in a previous question, I want to know how the co-ordination is happening to ensure that all universities across the whole of the UK find that there are consistent messages and have the appropriate support towards applying into the grant programmes.

[Lord Vallance of Balham (Lab)]

I have regular meetings with Ministers from the devolved Administrations. Most recently, they were around some of the issues to do with REF. Unfortunately, the meeting with the Welsh Minister was cancelled twice by them, but I will none the less persist.