Johnson increases research budget to make U.K. a ‘Science Superpower’
The British Prime Minister – Boris Johnson today, i.e., Monday, June 21, 2021, announced plans to increase the research budget from nearly £ 15 billion a year to £ 22 billion by 2025.
The idea is to position United Kingdom (U.K.) as a “Science Superpower”. Johnson will chair the new National Science and Technology Council to provide strategic direction on how research can be used in the best interest of the people of the U.K.
While it puts science at the heart of Government, there are apprehensions that there will be more political control on research budgets. This means that the funds that could have been used to speed-up recovery from Coronavirus (COVID-19), would now be diverted to development of science.
Speaking on the occasion, Johnson said, “With the right direction, pace and backing, we can breathe life into many more scientific and technological breakthroughs that transform the lives of people across the UK and the world.”
Taking it to twitter, Johnson tweeted,
We’re setting out to restore the UK's place as a scientific superpower – while simultaneously driving economic prosperity and addressing the great challenges we face.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 21, 2021
Read my @Telegraph article here: https://t.co/MylvJy17aD
The Chief Scientific Advisor to the U.K. Government – Sir Patrick Vallance would lead the National Science and Technology Council. This would be in addition to his current role.
Johnson wants the new council to identify cutting-edge research and technologies that will deliver strategic advantage for the U.K. The Council will also think about the new threats and opportunities in cyber, space and in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The increase in budget would help tackle societal challenges, such as the impact of climate change, level up across the country and boost prosperity around the world. The Office for Science and Technology Strategy will give the much-needed push to Government’s research priorities. It will also identify resources needed to secure the U.K.’s science capability.
Johnson, who is riding high on the successful vaccination of people against COVID-19, now wants to build on the success of the U.K.’s approach to vaccines and apply it to other priorities, such as developing technology to reach net zero carbon emissions and curing cancer.
Talking to media, Johnson said, “I cannot think of a time in the past 100 years when the entire population of this country has been so deeply and so obviously indebted to science – and to scientists.”
He said that COVID-19 taught him that Government has a major role to play in promoting science, which in turn, helps in addressing the complex problems of the people.
Most importantly, Johnson doesn’t want to lag behind in science as U.K. did in promoting the 5G technology in the country.
