Spending review can unblock the innovation pipeline

Government should do more to help public spending draw in private investment, says Ian Taylor

The Covid-19 pandemic has delivered a forceful illustration of the centrality of science and innovation to the UK’s prosperity and wellbeing. As the government’s R&D Roadmap published in July declares, “The importance of being able to find ingenious, practical and timely solutions to the most challenging problems is even clearer.” 

Now, with a gloomy economic outlook, and continued uncertainty over Horizon Europe funding and collaboration, the government must use its forthcoming spending review to show how public research funding can be best deployed to unlock follow-on private investment.