Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 25 April 2023 to Question 181131, on Science and Technology: Grants, whether her Department will classify money allocated to UKRI or the National Academies which may be used for administrative, delivery or set up costs as research and development spending.

We define R&D as per the Frascati definition in line with international standards. This explicitly includes the cost of administering R&D: "Government budgets for R&D may include a provision for the cost of administering R&D programmes and projects, including for example the formulation of calls, competitive procurement processes and grant solicitations, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of programmes". The Frascati definition highlights that "such delivery costs can be an integral part of the process required to ensure that the funds are used for R&D and for meeting the government's objectives". UKRI is already one of the most efficient funders of research in the world, and we are pushing this even further with the Simpler and Better Funding programme.