The Prime Minister and Technology Secretary today unveiled the Governmentโs plan to โcement the UKโs place as a science and technology superpower by 2030.โ Backed by over ยฃ370 million in new government funding, the plan aims to boost infrastructure, investment and skills for the UKโs most innovative technologies such as quantum, supercomputing and AI.
The new Science and Technology Framework
As part of the plan, the Government has launched a new department dedicated to science, innovation and technology. โA dedicated Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will drive the innovation that will deliver improved public services, create new and better-paid jobs and grow the economy,โ said a statement from 10 Downing Street. The Science and Technology Framework is the first major piece of work from the department; it aims to put the UK at the forefront of global science and technology through 10 key actions.
The 10 key actions of the new Science and Technology Framework include:
- identifying, pursuing and achieving strategic advantage in the technologies that are most critical to achieving UK objectives
- showcasing the UKโs science and technology strengths and ambitions at home and abroad to attract talent, investment and boost our global influence
- boosting private and public investment in research and development for economic growth and better productivity
- building on the UKโs already enviable talent and skills base
- financing innovative science and technology start-ups and companies
- capitalising on the UK Governmentโs buying power to boost innovation and growth through public sector procurement
- shaping the global science and tech landscape through strategic international engagement, diplomacy and partnerships
- ensuring researchers have access to the best physical and digital infrastructure for R&D that attracts talent, investment and discoveries
- leveraging post-Brexit freedoms to create world-leading pro-innovation regulation and influence global technical standards
- creating a pro-innovation culture throughout the UKโs public sector to improve the way our public services run
To ensure the country has the skills and infrastructure to take a global edge in innovative technologies, the Framework will begin immediately with an initial raft of projects, worth around ยฃ500 million in new and existing funding.
Commenting on the plan, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: โTrailblazing science and innovation have been in our DNA for decades. But in an increasingly competitive world, we can only stay ahead with focus, dynamism and leadership.
โThatโs why weโre setting out 10 key actions under a bold new plan to cement our place as a global science and technology superpower by 2030 โ from pursuing transformational technologies like AI and supercomputing to attracting top talent and ensuring they have the tools they need to succeed.
โThe more we innovate, the more we can grow our economy, create the high-paid jobs of the future, protect our security, and improve lives across the country.โ
Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan said:
“Innovation and technology are our future. They hold the keys to everything from raising productivity and wages, to transforming healthcare, reducing energy prices and ultimately creating jobs and economic growth in the UK, providing the financial firepower allowing us to spend more on public services.
“That is why, today, we are putting the full might of the British government and our private sector partners behind our push to become a scientific and technological superpower, because only through being world-leaders in future industries like AI and quantum will we be able to improve the lives of every Briton.”
Director of the Francis Crick Institute and Lead Reviewer of the Landscape Review, Paul Nurse said:
“It is absolutely right, as the Prime Minister has said, that the future of the UK depends upon research, science and technology. Only by being a leading science nation can the UK drive a sustainable economy, increased productivity and generate societal benefits such as improved healthcare and protecting the environment.
“The Governmentโs endorsement of this approach is to be fully supported. My Review of the research, development and innovation landscape makes a range of recommendations across the whole RDI endeavour, which if adopted together, provides a blueprint for government to make the UK a genuine science superpower.”
Government extends Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme to support UK R&D
The Government has also announced a further extension of the financial guarantee provided to the UKโs Horizon Europe applicants, to 30th June 2023. This means that eligible, successful UK applicants in the R&D department will be guaranteed funding to support important work in research and innovation. Originally launched in November 2021, the UKRI has issued grants worth more than ยฃ882 million to date.
Final thought
Science, innovation and technology is the countryโs best asset for growing the economy, creating high-paid jobs for the future and protecting our security. The Science and Technology Framework coupled with the three-month long extension of the Horizon Europe scheme will help accelerate achievement of the 10 key actions set out today. But will this be enough to cement the UKโs place as a science and technology superpower?
Although the joined-up approach to science across government is welcomed, experts question whether the investment is sustainable. Chief Executive of the Institute of Physics, Tom Grinyer said: โTop of the Prime Ministerโs list should be association to Horizon Europe and, with it, access to thriving international partnerships and stability that new technologies depend upon. The new plan is a step in the right direction but the governmentโs continued hesitation on Horizon puts the governmentโs tech ambitions โ and the UKโs future as a science superpower โ at risk.โ