Having had a very interesting meeting at the House of Lords a couple of weeks ago, this Wednesday I will be giving evidence on science funding to the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee.
Big changes are being implemented in the way UKRI allocates taxpayers money to fund research in national laboratories and universities. While the intentions may be good (and the total amount of money being allocated has not shrunk), the changes are being implemented without a good understanding of their impact.
There have already been huge negative effects on particle, astro and nuclear physics. Because they happen to sit in the Science and Technology Facilities Council – the same research council which runs national facilties for the whole of UKRI – they are being drastically cut in order to fund increased costs at those facilities.
I am very glad the committee are looking into this. I hope the session helps UKRI, STFC and the ministry think again.
https://committees.parliament.uk/event/26683/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/
Life and Physics 