Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction in Official Development Assistance funding to UK Research and Innovation on members of the Global Challenges Research Fund Strategy Advisory Group in Scotland.

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) is overseen by the Strategic Advisory Group (SAG), which acts in an advisory capacity to the strategic direction of the GCRF. Its membership consists of experts in the fields of science and research, and international development. They represent academia, government, business and other stakeholders, covering a broad range of disciplines and have an international or global perspective.

Of the SAG’s 14 current members, three represent Scottish institutions. A full list of members, including their affiliate institutions, is available on the UKRI SAG webpage. I am not aware of any imminent planned changes the makeup of the SAG. A periodic refresh of SAG membership has only recently been completed, in line with Cabinet Office guidelines on good governance.