§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her action to promote scientific research in the UK, with special reference to research and development spending, training, investment and independent advice. [52547]
§ Ms HewittScientific research lies at the heart of this Government's policies to stimulate innovation and economic development, and to improve the quality of life. The Science and Innovation White Paper—"Excellence and Opportunity: A science and innovation policy for the 21st century"—was published in July 2000. It set out our strategy for building on the UK's record of scientific excellence, and for ensuring that outputs from scientific research are harnessed in innovative products and services that will yield economic and social benefits for the people of the UK.
The following are among the actions we are taking to promote scientific research in the UK:
An increase in total Government investment in Science, Engineering and Technology in real terms of almost 11 per cent. from 2000–01 to £7.6 billion in 2003–04.The creation of two tax credits specifically to encourage greater levels of R&D in the UK. The first is aimed at SMEs and offers a 50 per cent. super-deduction on all qualifying R&D, while the Chancellor announced in his recent Budget that to complement the SME Credit, a new straight volume Tax Credit will now he offered to large companies which will benefit from a 25 per cent. super-deduction on all qualifying R&D expenditure.We have increased the funding available for postgraduate researchers and are actively encouraging better practice in managing and developing research staff. The Government are considering how to take forward the recently published review by Sir Gareth Roberts on the training of scientists and engineers.Our work on the development of strategic priorities for the Research Councils, acting together as Research Councils UK, will serve to increase the relevance of scientific research in the UK and encourage further investment in it.The Government are committed to improving the ways it obtains scientific advice and communicates developments in science and science policy. It has published a Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees, and Guidelines 2000 which set out best practice for the use of scientific advice in policy making.