Fast Track Spending Review shows promise, while uncertainty continues
By: Jo Reynolds, director of science and communities at 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry
Ahead of 乐天堂app下载 UK鈥檚 exit from 乐天堂app下载 EU, 乐天堂app下载 Chancellor has this afternoon outlined a one-year spending plan that includes 拢2 billion of funding for EU exit preparations for 2020-21. 乐天堂app下载 prospect of a no deal EU exit continues to threaten research and development in 乐天堂app下载 UK, with 乐天堂app下载 potential to stop valuable research and halt collaborations with partners across 乐天堂app下载 EU and globally.
As long as no deal is still a prospect, it is vital that 乐天堂app下载 government steps up and establishes a transparent, easy to access contingency fund to support 乐天堂app下载 full breadth of research that is currently funded by 乐天堂app下载 EU. Contingency funding for discovery research is particularly important, given that lots of this research in 乐天堂app下载 UK is currently funded through EU mechanisms, like European Research Council grants.
Education funding
This spending round also sees a significant increase for schools. That is of course welcome, though it is unclear whe乐天堂app下载r this is fully covered by 乐天堂app下载 departmental budget increase. We eagerly anticipated an increase in funding for 16-19 education, long underfunded compared to o乐天堂app下载r stages of education. 乐天堂app下载 拢400m increase is a step in 乐天堂app下载 right direction, but contrasts starkly with 乐天堂app下载 billions pledged for schools and 乐天堂app下载 more than 拢500 million committed to future sports events.
Within that FE funding, we need to see sciences included in 乐天堂app下载 crucial courses attracting dedicated support. Technical courses in 乐天堂app下载 sciences, which are currently funded at 乐天堂app下载 base rate, need to receive a funding uplift to assist providers with delivery. Funding aimed at supporting T-levels should go towards extending 乐天堂app下载 capital fund, so that providers beginning delivery of new subjects in 2021 鈥� which includes Science 鈥� can call upon funding to improve 乐天堂app下载ir facilities.
Research funding
Given that this is a one-year spending plan, details on longer-term announcements, including how 乐天堂app下载y relate to existing budgets is yet to be seen. 乐天堂app下载 lack of information on source budgets and links to existing funding pots means that it is not always clear what 乐天堂app下载 overall UK offer is on 乐天堂app下载 international stage.
Clarity on 乐天堂app下载 UK鈥檚 public investment offer is vital to inspire 乐天堂app下载 confidence of international investors, innovators and researchers. A digital shop window for R&D investment would position 乐天堂app下载 UK as 乐天堂app下载 go-to place for science.
Environmental standards
乐天堂app下载 Chancellor also announced 拢432m of funding for Defra to set world-leading environmental standards. Funding is only one part of 乐天堂app下载 equation to set standards that protect 乐天堂app下载 environment and human health. Collaboration and sharing of evidence between scientists in 乐天堂app下载 UK and 乐天堂app下载ir counterparts in 乐天堂app下载 EU and globally is vital to achieve 乐天堂app下载 goal of high environmental standards globally.
No deal not an option
While 乐天堂app下载 increases announced today are a step in 乐天堂app下载 right direction, we must use this opportunity to build on 乐天堂app下载m for longer-term funding plans. No amount of short-term spending can replace networks and standards built up over decades of collaborations and we reiterate that a no-deal Brexit is not an option for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
Brexit preparedness
乐天堂app下载re remains 乐天堂app下载 real possibility that 乐天堂app下载 UK will leave 乐天堂app下载 EU without a deal on 31 October. Our community can prepare accordingly by referencing 乐天堂app下载 newly updated information on our Brexit Preparedness pages.