Departments produce and publish high quality science and innovation strategies that link science and research to Public Service Agreements (PSAs) and to departmental objectives, and on which plans for future research investment are based. [1] [2]
More generally, departmental Chief Scientific Advisers (CSAs) and chief analysts should be consulted as a matter of course by departmental strategy and finance teams on strategy and budget proposals, to ensure that they are evidence-based and that sufficient resources are dedicated to evidence and research to underpin the achievement of departmental priorities including the department’s contribution to PSAs and other cross-cutting priorities. Departmental CSAs should in turn keep the GCSA in close touch with current and planned R&D spend in their departments. [3]
Planned expenditure by civil and defence departments on R&D is estimated to be £4.5bn for 2008/09. [4]
In order to ensure appropriate investment in research the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Science and Innovation (ED(SI)) has agreed that departments should consult the GCSA and HM Treasury, in advance, of any potential cuts to research budgets or expenditure, including those that have implications for the funding of cross-cutting research. [5]
Cross-cutting research
In making proposals for and managing research spend, departments should adopt a joined-up approach on cross-cutting issues, consulting other government departments and using ED(SI), where appropriate, to ensure synergies. Departments should alert the GCSA to any issues that cannot be resolved in relation to co-ordinating and agreeing resources and funding to support cross-cutting areas of research that are of benefit to more than one government department or to Government as a whole, so that he can consult colleagues and bring issues to the attention of the ED(SI), as appropriate. Where cross-cutting research issues are brought to the attention of ED(SI), the Committee will provide a forum for relevant departments to contribute their perspective on the issue. The Committee may then propose a resolution, recognising that budgets remain with departments. [6]
Working with others
To ensure that the best science and engineering advice is taken into account by government, it is vital that departments work closely with other organisations with a role in the management and delivery of research. These include the Research and Funding Councils, Technology Strategy Board (TSB), the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Academy, the professional institutions and the other learned societies, universities and private and charity sector research and development funders.
Following the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review, Research Council budget allocations reflected strategic government challenges and priorities more strongly than before. This is reflected in six Cross-Council research programmes (Energy, Living with Environmental Change, Global Uncertainties, Lifelong Health and Well-being, the Digital Economy and Nanoscience). Building on this, the Core Issues Group of Chief Scientific Advisers (CIG) is working with the Research Council Chief Executives to develop a set of strategic cross-cutting priorities, working closely with departments in preparation for the next Spending Review.
