Science budget 'protected' at £4.6 billion a year

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The science budget will be “protected” at £4.6 billion a year in cash terms, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has announced today.

During the spending review announcement in the House of Commons, Osborne claimed despite the apparent maintenance of funding for science, £324 million efficiency savings could still be achieved.

“Britain is a world leader in science research and it is vital to our future success,” the Chancellor of the Exchequer said.

“I am confident our scientific output can increase over the next four years.”

Protests were seen in London earlier this month, stressing the need to maintain strong funding for science.

Doubts

On the face of it, the revelation the Government has frozen science spending is positive for the UK’s scientific output, but it is actually a cut, according to Liberal Democrat politician Evan Harris.

A “cash freeze” would in fact represent a real terms cut of 8.9 per cent, Harris claimed in an article for the Guardian.

The UK’s major rivals have planned to increase investment in R&D even in the face of economic hardship, meaning such a cut in funding would have even more pejorative consequences for the country, Harris said.

“Overall, I would agree with those who believe the science community may have had an escape from the prospect of terrible cuts,” he admitted.

“But it is best to reserve final judgment for when the figures have become clear.”

Follow our live blog on the spending cuts here.

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