Science protection is good news
09 November 2010
Over recent weeks we have been covering opinions and reactions to the UK spending review...
I was sent the following thoughts from Dr. David Hardman, Managing Director of Birmingham Science Park Aston, who believed it is good news for the West Midlands Knowledge Economy.
The Government has made it clear that it understands that the Knowledge Economy is to be key to helping drive future growth and job creation, so it is pleasing to see the science budget will receive no cash cut and the £4.6 billion annual spend will be preserved, albeit not enhanced.
The UK’s science base is the powerhouse for the future of the Knowledge Economy. The next generation of technologies will derive from this fundamental research, and as such, the UK’s knowledge base is a key asset for the economy at large.
The Government’s emphasis on further research into clean and green technologies, which will help reduce the UK’s carbon footprint whilst also driving economic growth, has to be welcomed. However, we are still in the dark in many areas.
The abolition of delivery organisations, such as AWM, and huge cuts to Local Authority budgets only fosters further uncertainty about how initiatives to support new start-ups – such as our own Entrepreneurs for the Future scheme – will be delivered here in the region in the future. Unfortunately, we’re still waiting for further clarification of how this will impact us on a regional and local level and we need to understand how the new Local Enterprise Partnerships and national innovation strategies will actually work. We also need direction on how support for the Knowledge Economy will be structured to promote the translation of innovative technology developments into new commercial products and services.
Thank you to Dr. Hardman for sharing his views. Anybody else who wishes to do so can contact me at my usual email address: tim.fryer@imlgroup.co.uk
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