Science: Research

(asked on 18th March 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his his Department has taken to support scientific research consortia as a future funding model for domestic R&D.


Answered by
George Freeman Portrait
George Freeman
This question was answered on 28th March 2022

Support for research consortia is a well-established aspect of the UK Government’s approach to funding R&D. Between 2015 – 2021, UK Research and Innovation provided over 16,500 research and innovation grants, over 65% of which were collaborative awards.[1] [2]

SR21 sets out the government’s plan to cement the UK as a global science and technology superpower, with public spending on R&D rising to £20bn in 2024/25, an increase of around a quarter in real terms over the SR period.

As the custodian of the R&D system, BEIS has been allocated £39.8bn for R&D over the SR period, the largest ever budget committed to BEIS for R&D. This investment will continue to support both individual researchers and groups of researchers working in consortia to solve the biggest challenges facing society.

It will also encourage private sector investments and give the market players the confidence that they are backing national priorities – so that the public and private sector can come together to deliver breakthroughs, like the Covid-19 vaccine, that can transform our lives and economic prospects.

[1] https://www.ukri.org/publications/competitive-funding-decisions-data-2015-to-2020/

[2] https://www.ukri.org/publications/competitive-funding-decisions-data-2020-to-2021

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