Science and Research Funding (2011-12 to 2014-15)

Lord Willetts Excerpts

Monday 20th December 2010 Written Statements

[The Minister for Universities and Science (Mr David Willetts)]

The coalition Government are publishing today the allocation of science and research funding for 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Our world class science and research base is inherently valuable, as well as critical to promoting economic growth. Despite enormous pressure on public spending, the £4.6 billion per annum funding for science and research programmes has been protected in cash terms and ring fenced against future pressures during the spending review period. For the first time HE research funding in England has been included within this ring fence, providing overall stability and certainty to the research base.

Allocations for resource are set out in table 1, below, and allocations for capital are in table 2.

This Government are committed to efficiency, prioritisation and reform. We shall delay capital investment to maximise investment in research projects and in people undertaking research. The Government intend to announce during 2011 the allocation of funding to a small number of further projects on the 2010 large facilities roadmap.

Savings from improved efficiency will be recycled directly within the ring fence. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) will reform its quality-related (QR) funding for research with a greater focus on research excellence and reform higher education innovation funding with a greater focus on business interaction.

Collaboration is one of the key themes of these allocations. There will be significant collaboration among research councils, and among universities, tackling issues of national importance, often working with the TSB.

There will also be greater coherence among HEFCE and the research councils. For example HEFCE and the research councils will work together so that support and incentives to bring universities and business closer together are delivered coherently.

These allocations provide funding for the arts, humanities and social sciences as well as STEM to pursue vital research. Outstanding researchers in all fields will be funded to pursue curiosity driven work and to define their own areas of scholarship. We are also putting the new UK Space Agency on a firm footing.

The allocation will allow research councils, HEFCE and the national academies to maintain the flow of talented new researchers and maintain national capability. It will enable them to provide researchers with access to key large scale research infrastructure, both here and abroad. Funding bodies will concentrate on research centres of proven excellence, with the critical mass to address national challenges and compete internationally and the expertise to collaboration with business.

A copy of the allocation document has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

The grant letter sent by the Secretary of State to HEFCE today also includes details relevant to science and research funding. A copy of that letter has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.