The Chief Executive of the UK's Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), Dr. Robert Parker, has said that David Willetts' announcement on the government's spending plans for capital investment in science is good news for the chemical sciences. However, he has called for a long-term increase in research funding to ensure that new facilities don't go to waste.
According to Dr. Parker, the RSC welcomes this additional investment in science at a time when the government is facing tough decisions on spending. It is seen as a real, positive sign that the government recognises the importance of a strong, high-tech and innovative science base as the key to driving economic growth and maintaining the UK's international competitiveness.
He also added that the RSC had identified a number of the areas announced to receive investment, such as energy storage and advanced materials, as important technology opportunities for the UK - and innovation in these areas would be heavily reliant on strength and excellence in the chemical sciences.
It had to be ensured that the UK could capitalise fully on those investments, Dr. Parker noted. To do this, they also needed to have sufficient funding available for the maintenance and day-to-day running of new and existing capital equipment. The capital investment must be complemented by a long-term increase in research funding, to enable the world-class scientists to use this new infrastructure to carry out excellent research for the UK's maximum benefit.
