National academies call for investment in scientific research to be almost doubled to 3% of GDP

To secure the United Kingdom’s future prosperity the government must ramp up investment in research and development and create a policy environment that supports innovation, the national academies have warned in a joint statement.1

They say investment in research and development needs to be almost doubled from 1.73% of to 3% of gross domestic product. As well as investing in scientific research itself, the next government needs to create an environment that attracts more industrial and charitable investment, emphasises the need for more teachers with specialist subject knowledge at all stages of education, and has the right policies in place to encourage skilled immigration and minimise unnecessary barriers to talented researchers and students.

“Clear messages and policies are crucially needed to counter perceptions that recent changes to immigration policy mean that the UK is closed for business,” the national academies’ statement says.

Cuts to research and innovation …