Britain needs to make significant changes to its research and development strategy to meet the government’s goal of becoming a science and technology “superpower”, according to a cross-party committee in the House of Lords.
The 14-member House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has published its recommendations to the Government on implementing goals set last year to secure Britain’s status as a technology superpower by 2030.
Key recommendations in the report include clarifying the UK’s science and technology strategy, rebuilding international relations and making concrete reforms to public funding for innovation with a focus on research and development.
Committee the report warned that the potential for high tech growth in the UK would not be realized due to a “lack of implementation plan” to fund and support research and development.
The next prime minister called for fulfilling obligations on R&D
Although the committee strongly supports the government’s plan to support research and development, it suggested that minimal attention has been paid to increased spending. The report therefore urged the next administration to “maintain a commitment to research and development.”
It follows from this previous calls from leading technical figures for the government to increase the implementation of enhanced research and development tax credits.
The chair of the committee, Baroness Brown, showed some optimism about the UK’s technological potential, noting that “even at much lower costs than comparable countries, the UK’s excellent science base punches above its weight”.
Brown, however, said that “science policy was far from perfect”, pointing to a “lot” of strategies with “short duration”.
Brown criticized the “numerous bodies and organizations with unclear or apparently duplicative responsibilities”, including the newly created National Science and Technology Council and the Office for Science and Technology Strategy.
Peers also noted the undermined reputation of Great Britain in the international arena, criticizing the refusal to cooperate with Europe.
“The UK cannot be a scientific superpower in isolation; the relationship must be restored, Brown said.
UK will fail tech ‘superpower’ goals without R&D changes, warns Lords
