UK Research and Innovation: Ethnic Minorities

Lord Clement-Jones Excerpts

Monday 15th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Vallance of Balham (Lab)]

Just to add to the starkness of those numbers, it is 160 black professors out of 22,885 professors overall. These are stark figures, and we need to do things to make sure that we get opportunity right. Yes, the figures are also stark for grants. It is interesting that the analysis of schemes that have been put in place already shows that, as a result of those schemes, not only does confidence increase for black scientists but the preparedness and quality of their applications also increase.

[Lord Clement-Jones (LD)]

My Lords, I welcome the statements from the Minister and the noble Baroness, Lady Royall, of the facts involved. Can the Minister assure us that, in scrutinising individual schemes, the Government and the Office for Students will support universities’ and research councils’ ability to use lawful positive action to tackle well-documented disparities in participation and progression in the research workforce?

[Lord Vallance of Balham (Lab)]

Yes, much of this was about postgraduate students, but it is true in the workforce. The Office for Students recently issued guidance that makes it clear that staff and students should be free to undertake academic research within the law, and should not be restricted or compromised in any way because of the conclusions that that research may reach, or the views that it supports or any conflict with the higher education provider’s values. There are schemes right the way across the system, including in the White Paper that was recently published, for how to increase participation from multiple groups, based not just on ethnicity but also on socioeconomic deprivation and those with caring responsibilities.