Yesterday the Government released the UK Science and Technology Framework. It felt a little like a tired reheat of all the similar policies and strategies that have gone before, and it’s unclear how it fits with them. Is it meant to provide more detail? Is it a realignment?
Previously The Industrial Strategy (2017) suggested that we ‘build on our strengths, extend them into the future and capitalise on the opportunities before us.’ The R&D Roadmap (2020) talked about having ‘a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen our global position in research [and] unleash a new wave of innovation’; The Plan for Growth (2021) wanted to make ‘our country a science and technology superpower’; The Innovation Strategy (2022) talked about the UK becoming ‘a science superpower by 2030’; and the UKRI Strategy (2022) promised ‘to secure the UK’s status as a science superpower and innovation nation.’
That’s six years of promises; you just want them to get on with it. Having said that, with an election next year and the current government trailing in the polls, the value of putting in place a seven year plan now rather than after the election is moot.
Anyway, this time the promises revolve around a joined up approach based on 10 points. Be warned, what follows is very, very STEM. The clue’s in the title, but it’s still interesting that there’s no mention at all of SSH.
- First, identifying five critical technologies:
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Engineering biology
- Future telecommunications
- Semiconductors
- Quantum technologies
Note how these differ from the previous ‘grand challenges’ and priorities. Wait long enough and a new set will come along, though there are some persistent ones (eg AI). To support them it will develop ‘a cross-government plan’ (get ready for the next plan) to optimise the science and technology system for each of them.
- Signalling UK Strengths and Ambitions, which is about better communicating the value of R&D and getting people on-board with it.
- Investment in Research and Development. Here there’s the recommitment to the target of £20bn in R&D in 2024/25, and a strong steer to get private investment into R&D. There is also the push to increase investment outside the greater south east by 40% by 2030, a target first mentioned in the Levelling up White Paper. There’s also talk of reducing bureaucracy and responding to the Tickell and Nurse reviews.
- Talent and Skills. A strong push on STEM. It’s STEM all the way. When they said ‘science’ they really meant science, not Wissenschaft.
- Financing Innovative Science and Technology Companies by building on the British Business Bank, and other initiatives.
- Procurement. Government departments identify and develop needs that UK business and R&D can fulfil.
- International Opportunities. Build joint investment opportunities, communicate (again) the UK’s strengths. No mention of Horizon Europe though.
- Access to Physical and Digital Infrastructure. Being more coordinated and long-term in the UK’s infrastructure need, and strategically using catapults etc.
- Regulation and Standards. There’s a whiff of the ‘Brexit dividend’ here, freeing the UK from burdensome regulation. Also a bass note of Aria.
- Innovative Public Sector – i.e. make Government more S&T-literate.
The Framework finishes with a rather odd selection of – ahem – ‘early wins’, including the development of Aria (announced 2020, legislated for in 2021, yet to start work); an ad campaign (GREAT Britain and NI) that was relaunched two years ago, but had been running for almost a decade before then: and a reiteration of the Government’s £20bn promise.
At the time of its launch, the press release mentions £370m of investment to go with the Framework, but the distribution of this, and the mechanisms for it, are somewhat opaque.