Reducing Britain's science budget will have a paralysing effect on economic growth, the jobs market and the nation's ability to produce the world-class scientists of the future, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). The UK risks combining mediocre funding in research with one of the weakest educational systems in schools science in the developed world, says RSC chief executive Dr. Richard Pike.
Short-term investment is important, but it should not be at the expense of long-term funding, he further stated. Continuous long-term investment in science, engineering and technology must not only be maintained, but steadily increased to meet the challenge of producing the next generation of scientists.
Universities are now the only place where fundamental research is done; so the government's priority must be providing the £2.3 billion needed over the next three years to secure the future of chemical science education and research in the UK, the RSC chief has noted. This sustained support - of science education, research and training in universities, and partnerships between academia and industry - is vital if the nation is to rebalance its economy and keep pace with its international competitors.
Six government-funded bodies are currently advising the government on aspects of the 2010 Science and Research Budget prior to this autumn's Comprehensive Spending Review. The RSC also has advice to government based upon its interactions with key stakeholders in academia and business from across the world. The RSC has evidence, through a report to be issued shortly, that supports the case for sustained, long term basic science research, which will underpin the future UK economy.
The RSC report, funded in collaboration with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and prepared independently using a methodology recognised by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), will show that chemistry-reliant industries made a £258 billion value-added contribution to the UK economy in 2007, equivalent to 21 per cent of UK GDP, and supported 6 million jobs.
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