Stark message on science funding
Invest in science or risk relegation from from the premier league of global economies.
That's the stark message from the Royal Society this morning, as it publishes a wide ranging report on the prospects for British science.
The Scientific Century: Securing Our Future Prosperity concludes that the UK will face decades of slow economic decline unless it invests heavily in research - one of the few areas where the country enjoys a genuine competetive advantage.
The timing of the report is no coincidence. With an election imminent, a cost cutting raid on the £3bn science budget has been signalled by both the Conservatives and Labour. University budgets have already been cut by £600 million, and last month the shadow spokesman on science Adam Afriyie described further cuts as inevitable.
That would be a disaster according to Sir Martin Taylor, the Professor of Mathematics at the University of Manchester and chairman of the inquiry. "History shows us that new technologies drive economic development - look at the industrial and digital revolutions."
And while we consider reigning-in spending, our competitors are looking to invest their way out of recession. The report highlights the $21 billion the US is ploughing into research to boost its recovery programme. France and Germany have recently announced big increases in funding to support their knowledge economies, and China's spending on science continues to increase at a staggering 20% a year.
"The UK is currently in the top two of the premier league when it comes science" Sir Martin says, "It would seem obvious that politicians would recognise the need to invest in this competitive advantage rather than cutting funds."
The cross-party message of the report was reinforced by the presence of Conservative and Labour peers on the Royal Society panel.
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Speaking on the programme this morning the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury Lord Waldegrave described science as one of the jewels in our crown.
"Times are tough at the moment, but that is exactly when you need to invest in the future and focus spending where you already have an advantage".
The former Science Minister Lord Sainsbury said, "We cannot compete with countries such as China and India on the basis of low wages. Science and innovation must underpin the strategy of growth which we need to have as we go into a tough period of fiscal consolidation".
I'm Tom Feilden and I'm the science correspondent on the Today programme. This is where we can talk about the scientific issues we're covering on the programme. 
Comment number 1.
At 03:44 10th Mar 2010, jr4412 wrote:Tom Feilden.
I think it was only a year or two ago that the government announced they couldn't find the (measly) £2.5M pa needed to keep Jodrell Bank observatory going (in other words, half the wages of a premium league footballer).
and then one reads a quote like: "We cannot compete with countries such as China and India on the basis of low wages."
with ministers being so 'well-informed' and predisposed to know the cost of everything and, it seems, the value of nothing, one can but shake one's head in despair.
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Comment number 2.
At 11:13 24th Jun 2010, dot wrote:Hi!
One major department that you can cut funds from is child benefit. Everyone must be given child benefit for the first two children. There are some wealthy people who are not interested in this payment. Give them the option. Third child must be given a smaller payment. There onwards there must not be a child benefit. If people want to produce anymore let them bear the cost. By this way you can control the unnecessary births and therefore unnecessary funding. This country has given the impression I am sorry to say that by producing children every year and collecting benefits they feel that they have an income to carry on life and most of them not seeking work. If you have five children age 1-5, they are fully satisfied with the payment and will continue producing children. This has a major affect on our NHS,education transport and all other public services. This is the root cause of it as I and many others see.
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