Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Natural Environment Research Council funding rules on UK Polar research.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is the leading funder of natural environment research in the United Kingdom. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is part of NERC and operates polar infrastructure and facilities on NERC’s behalf, including the polar research vessel and research stations, to enable polar science and research activity. NERC funding, including to polar research, is delivered via competitive, peer-reviewed application processes. Awards are made to Research Organisations based on terms and conditions detailed in NERC’s Research Grants and Fellowships Handbook. NERC also supports strategic research and national capability programmes.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to review the funding rules for the Natural Environment Research Council so that international partners can be costed in with a value up to 30% of a grant proposal.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is a constituent council of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). UKRI is responsible for managing funding policy across its councils. Where an “international co-applicant” agreement is in place, NERC funds specified direct costs for international collaborators, paying up to 100% of eligible direct costs or a maximum of 30% of the full economic cost value for eligible international costs. UKRI has no immediate plans to review this policy.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on progress on the actions in the England Rare Diseases Action Plan on the effectiveness of current incentives for innovation in rare diseases.
Answered by George Freeman
While direct discussions have not yet taken place, officials in the Office for Life Sciences, a joint unit between the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department of Health and Social Care, are working closely with officials in the Department of Health and Social Care, who are leading on delivery of the England Rare Diseases Action Plan, to ensure that innovations are utilised for the benefit of patients with rare diseases. This includes joint attendance at ministerial and working level delivery meetings, as appropriate.