Written Statements

Friday 4th March 2016 Written Statements

Friday 4 March 2016

Science and Research Budget Allocations

Friday 4th March 2016 Written Statements

[The Minister for Universities and Science (Joseph Johnson)]

Science and research are vital to our country’s prosperity, security and wellbeing. At a time of tight control over public spending, the Government continue to protect investment and support our world-class research base.

The Government are protecting science resource funding at its current level of £4.7 billion, which will rise in cash terms every year, for the rest of the Parliament. At the same time, we are investing in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale—delivering on the £6.9 billion^[1] science capital commitment in our manifesto. The total investment of £26.3 billion between 2016-17 to 2020-21 builds on the protections for the science budget in the last Parliament—meaning a decade of protection for the science budget, and a decade of sustained investment by this Government.

This includes a new £1.5 billion investment over the period 2016-17 to 2020-21 in a new global challenges research fund (GCRF), to ensure UK research takes a leading role in addressing the challenges faced by developing countries. This is a unique opportunity for UK academics to work with partners around the world and at the same time to address some of the biggest challenges of our time.

While we are building new infrastructure, we are also ensuring we get the best return on our investments. Sir Paul Nurse set out his proposals to bring together the seven research councils under the banner of Research UK, and as the Chancellor confirmed in the spending review, the Government will take forward these recommendations subject to Parliament. As such, firm allocations are being provided for 2016-17 to 2017-18; with indicative allocations only for the later years in the SR period, 2018-19 to 2019-20. Allocations will be provided for these years as changes to the research landscape are taken forward.

The allocations made today make clear the Government’s commitment to the dual support system. This system provides stability in the funding underpinning our research base through both prospective competitive grant funding for projects and programmes, alongside a block grant for universities, based on an assessment of the quality of their research. The block grant funding supports universities’ research capability and infrastructure, enabling them to invest strategically and plan ahead; to develop and support excellent researchers; to explore novel curiosity-driven research, respond to emerging priorities and lever funding from other sources. This funding is an important driver of curiosity-driven research, and budgets allocated today show that for every £1 allocated to research councils, its allocation from the research budget increases from 63p as now, to over 65p by the end of the SR period.

We will be publishing further details of these allocations today.

^[1] Includes £1.1 billion spent in 2015-16.

[HCWS579]

Gifting of Land Rovers: Bulgaria

Friday 4th March 2016 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon)]

I have today laid before Parliament a Ministry of Defence departmental minute describing a gifting of Land Rovers that the UK intends to make to the Government of Bulgaria.

This gift meets a specific Bulgarian request for assistance to help patrol its borders.

The departmental minute describes a gift of 40 Land Rovers that are vitally needed and will provide immediate benefits. The gift comprises 40 Defender Tithonus Land Rovers totalling £443,000 including transportation by the civilian contractor. The cost will be borne by the Conflict Stability and Security Fund.

Subject to completion of the departmental minute process, delivery is expected to commence in May 2016.

[HCWS581]

Ministerial Correction

Friday 4th March 2016 Written Statements

[The Prime Minister (Mr David Cameron)]

During Prime Minister’s Questions on 2 March I should have said that the latest available figures show that there are 432 fewer secondary schools operating at full or over-capacity than there were in 2010, and not 453 schools, Official Report, column 942.

[HCWS580]