Alistair Darling, the British Chancellor, broke from the tradition of his predecessor and made no mention of science in his speech delivering the pre-budget report yesterday.
But in supplementary documents published along side the report, the Government was keen to emphasise its continued commitment to investing in British science and acknowledged the key role science plays in strengthening the economy. But no new funds for science were announced and the focus on science that can deliver economic impact was stronger than on basic science.
Science campaigners viewed the tone as positive for science as “at least budgets were not cut”, says Nick Dusic, director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering in the UK.
Dusic adds, “It is vital that during these difficult economic times the UK continues to sustain its increased investment in science and engineering. The Chancellor needs to be careful that the greater policy focus on delivering short-term economic returns does not risk the long-term sustainability of the research and skills base.”
Among the new initiatives announced yesterday, Government says it will bring forward planned spending of £442 million, part of which will go towards developing scientific research facilities and improvements to university research infrastructure.
Other initiatives include:
Publication in December of the government’s first progress report on implementing its innovation strategy published in March.
The budget for the government’s Small Business Research Initiative, which aims help early stage, high-technology small companies to better position themselves to compete to provide the government’s R&D needs, will be confirmed before the scheme is fully rolled out in April 2009.
Gordon Brown, the prime minister, has asked the Department of Health and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills to draw up national priorities for translational health research.
On green issues, the government confirmed it would extend its Renewables Obligation, which aims to incentivise the generation of electricity from renewable sources in the United Kingdom, to “at least 2037”. The scheme places an obligation on licensed electricity suppliers in the UK to source an increasing proportion of electricity from renewable sources. The current level is 9.1% for 2008/09 rising to 15.4% by 2015/16, and then increasing by 1% for the next three years. The government says the extension will “ensure that investors [in green technologies] can plan with confidence”.
The British Wind Energy Association says the move was “really encouraging”, according to the Guardian. “Under the old scheme, many companies were worried that the current RO was going to run out half way through their scheme,” a spokesperson told the Guardian.
The increase in vehicle excise duty for polluting cars will still go ahead, but be introduced more gradually. The maximum increase will be £5 next year. From 2010, the maximum increase per car will be £30, not up to £90 as planned. Greener cars will see no increase or could save £30, the Guardian says.
Taxes on long-haul flights, which currently stand at £40 per flight, will increase by 25% from next year and will rise by half from that in 2010.