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Vince Cable to signal cuts to science funding | Vince Cable to signal cuts to science funding |
(40 minutes later) | |
Business Secretary Vince Cable is expected to signal a squeeze on public funding for scientific research. | Business Secretary Vince Cable is expected to signal a squeeze on public funding for scientific research. |
He will urge universities to do "more for less" and say taxpayers should only back research that has a commercial use or was academically outstanding. | He will urge universities to do "more for less" and say taxpayers should only back research that has a commercial use or was academically outstanding. |
Mr Cable's London audience will be told the government "values" UK science and research and spends £4.3bn a year. | Mr Cable's London audience will be told the government "values" UK science and research and spends £4.3bn a year. |
Martin Reese, president of the Royal Society, said cutting science funding would be a false economy. | Martin Reese, president of the Royal Society, said cutting science funding would be a false economy. |
Mr Cable's speech comes ahead of next month's Comprehensive Spending Review, which is likely to squeeze resources. | Mr Cable's speech comes ahead of next month's Comprehensive Spending Review, which is likely to squeeze resources. |
The business secretary is expected to urge universities to find ways of earning money from their research in order to make up for limits on public spending. | The business secretary is expected to urge universities to find ways of earning money from their research in order to make up for limits on public spending. |
He is set to say: "There is a school of thought which says that government commitment to science and technology is measured by how much money it spends. | He is set to say: "There is a school of thought which says that government commitment to science and technology is measured by how much money it spends. |
"Money is important both for the quantity and quality. But it is an input - not an output - measure. We could do more for less." | "Money is important both for the quantity and quality. But it is an input - not an output - measure. We could do more for less." |
Setting out the coalition's strategy for funding science, Mr Cable is expected say he supports top-class "blue skies" research, but "there is no justification for taxpayers' money being used to support research which is neither commercially useful nor theoretically outstanding". | Setting out the coalition's strategy for funding science, Mr Cable is expected say he supports top-class "blue skies" research, but "there is no justification for taxpayers' money being used to support research which is neither commercially useful nor theoretically outstanding". |
Vince Cable's message to the scientific community is a pretty blunt one - you need to be less reliant on the state and taxpayers' money. | |
The problem is many would argue that only the state can provide scientists with the sort of guaranteed, long term funding to make the great scientific breakthroughs. | |
There is also a suspicion that Mr Cable's pledge to "ration by excellence" amounts to a scientific version of Labour's old and discredited "picking winners" industrial strategy. | |
And, scientists will no doubt point out that the great eureka moments do not happen to an orderly timescale. Often they happen by accident and after years of seemingly futile research. | |
Lastly, Labour will claim that cutting science budgets damages our prospects for future economic growth. | |
Mr Cable may find he has a fight on his hands. | |
The Liberal Democrat minister will say that "transforming research into innovation" by linking research institutions to business is crucial. | The Liberal Democrat minister will say that "transforming research into innovation" by linking research institutions to business is crucial. |
"It is not a case of ditching scientific research that doesn't offer an immediate economic benefit. But I do think we need to do more to ensure that we reap the benefits of research," he will tell his audience. | "It is not a case of ditching scientific research that doesn't offer an immediate economic benefit. But I do think we need to do more to ensure that we reap the benefits of research," he will tell his audience. |
But Mr Reese, president of the Royal Society, told the Financial Times: "It is crucial that short-term austerity should not undermine our science and innovation capacity. | |
"Global competition for the most talented individuals, the most innovative companies and leadership in high-tech sectors is intensifying. | "Global competition for the most talented individuals, the most innovative companies and leadership in high-tech sectors is intensifying. |
"Cuts would create the impression that UK science is in relative decline and make the UK a less attractive location for mobile talent and investment. | "Cuts would create the impression that UK science is in relative decline and make the UK a less attractive location for mobile talent and investment. |
"They would send a message to the UK's young people - savvy about trends and anxious about their future - that the UK is no longer at the cutting edge of science." | "They would send a message to the UK's young people - savvy about trends and anxious about their future - that the UK is no longer at the cutting edge of science." |