UK Government unveils new spending plans for science
In a bid to attract talented scientists to the UK, the British government has unveiled a funding scheme that will enable universities to pay senior scientists up to 100,000 UK pounds a year. Research students and teachers should also benefit from the fund, worth a total 4 million pounds a year. 'Fifty key people in science can make a disproportionate amount of difference' commented the UK Minister for science, Lord Sainsbury: ' The initiative aims to bolster the UK's research infrastructure as part of a package of reforms outlined in the UK's policy paper on science and innovation, published at the end of July. Other initiatives to boost science described in the White paper include setting up new regional innovation funds, a code of practise for the UK government's scientific advisory bodies and new rules enabling scientists in the public sector to reap commercial benefits from their work. '[This is a] comprehensive package of measures to keep the UK in the vanguard of world science,' the UK Minister for trade and industry told the press. The UK science budget will increase by 7% over the next three years. Up to 50 million UK pounds a year will help development agencies to support high technology start up clusters and incubators; the new guidelines for government advisory bodies should equip staff to respond better to public concern with higher levels of openness and transparency; and better salaries for scientists are hoped to entice scientists to stay in the UK. In addition, more emphasis will be put on funding 'pure science' than in the past. Combined with fresh measures to promote cooperation and links between research and industry and new school examination procedures, the package is being hailed as an important and welcome shift in policy.