Research, Development and Innovation Organisational Landscape Report

Debate between Baroness Wolf of Dulwich and Viscount Camrose

Monday 20th November 2023 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Camrose (Con)]

I thank the noble Lord for the suggestion. I will happily take that up with the Leader of the House and all the usual channels.

[Baroness Wolf of Dulwich (CB)]

My Lords, one very well-established principle for effective research is institutional autonomy and freedom of action. The Nurse review identified numerous places and occasions where, at present, government-funded research does not allow for such freedom of action. Can the Minister assure us that the response to the review will pay due attention to these principles, which the Government acknowledged in the very welcome establishment of ARIA?

[Viscount Camrose (Con)]

Yes, indeed: these are very important principles to allow research institutions, whether publicly or privately funded, autonomy in the research they undertake. As well as the Nurse review, the Tickell review into bureaucracy in the R&D landscape addresses these things and we will also shortly be publishing our response to the latter review.