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Professional Bodies in STEM call on Government ahead of spending review
Over 25 professional bodies across science, engineering and technology have come together to share their expertise with senior Government.
The Science Council, alongside 26 of its member organisations including the AAPT, have written a joint letter to Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, regarding the upcoming Spending Review. The spending review will set departmental Resource and Capital DEL budgets from 2022-23 to 2024-25.
The Science Council and its members represent the thousands of UK Scientists, technicians and supporting staff who contribute to the development and success of UK science and innovation.
The letter called for the Chancellor to:
- Ensure consistent steady year on year rises in science funding, starting immediately to ensure credible progress towards the target of 2.4% of GDP by 2027.
- Remedy cuts to science programmes impacted by the reduction of ODA, using funding from outside the reduced ODA budget.
- Secure further investment in science education, including technical education, ensuring a strong skills pipeline to support the UK’s ambition to be a science superpower.
Science Council Chair of the Board of Trustees, Adam Donnan, commented:
“The Science Council welcomes and supports the Government’s ambition for Britain to be a global science superpower. A key commitment will be meeting the 2.4% GDP target for R&D spending so that UK science can continue to capitalise on opportunities. This pathway to the 2.4% target should be year-on-year growth in science funding, to demonstrate the Government’s commitment to UK science”