Science funding shakeup needs your attention

CaSE is a membership organisation working to improve government policies and funding to support science and engineering in the UK

There are restrictions around what government can publish or announce in the period immediately ahead of a public vote or referendum. So, with devolved elections on 5th May and the EU referendum looming large, last month saw the announcement of the major research and higher education shake up that has been expected since the Nurse Review was published last year. Not only did the Government publish their plans for changes to research funding structures, the creation of a new regulator, easing the entry of new HE providers, and set out their plans for the Teaching Excellence Framework, but also have published the Higher Education and Research Bill.

The Bill sets out legislative changes that that will need to get Parliamentary approval to enable the new structures to be set up with necessary powers to do their new jobs. Beyond those who work in the nitty gritty of policy and law making for science and research, the Bill marks the biggest shake up to UK research since the 1960s when the research council system was established.

With such a lot of change taking place at once, there are bound to be risks as well as opportunities. As with any change, we will have to look out for early warning signs where elements of the new system may need to be fine-tuned or addressed.

Not to waste any time, the Bill was introduced to the House of Commons and given its First Reading on 19 May. There are quite a lot of stages to go through before the proposals become law, with plenty of opportunity for debate by MPs and Peers. It may all seem quite far off and remote from the day to day business of doing science but the changes will materially impact on UK research. But, without having to become an expert in how Parliament makes laws, how can someone who cares about science contribute to making a success of the changes?

One action would be to get in touch with your MP and to briefly highlight that you are a constituent who works in science and want to raise the Higher Education and Research Bill to their attention. The more MPs and Peers who take an interest, engage with the research community, scrutinise the legislation and raise concerns in debates, will hopefully lead to better legislation. Not only that, but over the long term having more MPs interested in and championing science in the House would be a good outcome for UK science.

Author: Naomi Weir, Assistant Director at CaSE