Government urged to protect medical charity funding

Cuts to the science budget could cause “severe and lasting damage” to the UK’s research base, a group of medical research organisations and scientists has said.

In a letter to The Telegraph on 1 June, the 42 organisations and 130 scientists say they are “gravely concerned” about potential funding cuts in the 26 June spending review.

They warn against cutting the government’s Charity Research Support Fund, which covers indirect costs of research and scientists’ pay and materials and is only protected until 2014-15. They call for the government to maintain its commitment to this fund and the science ring fence.