Don’t be complacent on R&D investment, learned societies warn government

The government must increase investment in research and innovation through a stable 10-year framework to drive economic growth, four UK academies have said.

In a joint statement on 22 April, the presidents of the Academy of Medical Sciences, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society call on government to increase capital investment while maintaining the ring-fenced science budget.

The group says that although the UK has a “proud track record of research excellence” it must not become complacent, as its R&D investment is falling behind that of other countries.