Cut science funds and damage economic prospects warn influential science pros

A report published by Royal Society, the national academy of science of the.

UK and the Commonwealth, cautioned that Britain’s current advantage is in danger.

of being wiped out by the US, China, India, France and Germany who have ramped.

up spending in science to boost their economies..

The Scientific Century: securing our future prosperity report highlighted the.

successful but fragile nature of the UK's innovation economy after industry.

experts assessed the role of science in strategy for economic growth..

Sir Martin Taylor, chair of the report's advisory group said: "As France.

announces a new €35bn investment in the knowledge economy, the UK cuts.

university budgets by £600m, with the threat of more to come..

“The UK has been in the top two of the scientific premier league for the last.

350 years. It would seem obvious that politicians would recognise the need to.

invest in this competitive advantage rather than cutting funds.".

The report also highlighted US’ announcement of a $21bn boost for science and.

recent claims from American scientists that they will steal UK’s finest minds if.

investment here slips. In addition to the US and France commitment to science,.

the German government has said it will increase federal budget for education and.

research by €12bn by 2013 and China increases its science spending by 20% every.

year since a decade now..

Lord Waldegrave, provost of Eton College and former science minister said: ".

Times are tough but this is exactly when you need to invest in the future and.

focus spending where you already have an advantage..

“Investment in science cannot be turned on and off on a political whim - we.

must have a long-term investment. If we cut science now, just as the benefits of.

nearly twenty years of consistent policy are really beginning to bear fruit, we.

will seriously damage our economic prospects.".

The report busted the myth that the UK is good at science but bad at.

exploiting its results and highlighted the emergence of an innovation economy in.

the UK with universities becoming fledgling economic powerhouses..

The report noted that patents granted to UK universities have increased by.

136% between 2000 and 2008 and university spin outs employed 14,000 people in.

2007/08 and had a turnover of £1.1bn. But it found that business R&D as a.

weakness for the UK. In 2007 British companies spent 1.14% of GDP on R&D.

while in the US spent 1.9% and Germany 1.8%..

Experts' recommendations include – creating a 15 year framework for science.

and innovation, with increased spending; prioritising investment in scientific.

skills and infrastructure, such as laboratories and equipment; better aligning.

science and innovation with global challenges; revitalising science and.

mathematics education; and expanding the R&D tax credit..

Lord Sainsbury, the former science minister and member of the advisory group.

said: "We cannot compete with countries such as China and India on the basis of.

low wages, and science and innovation must, therefore, be the basis of the.

strategy for growth which we need to have as we go into a tough period of fiscal.

consolidation." .

Dr David Roblin, senior vice-president global R&D at Pfizer said: "We bring.

together chemists, biologists, mathematicians, computer scientists and.

clinicians – the UK has world leaders in all of these fields..

"The new medicines produced by our European R&D headquarters illustrate.

what can be achieved if industrial and academic research can come together in a.

centre of biomedical scientific excellence, as has developed here in the UK."

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