Sign in Subscribe
Drugs

Gordon Brown Unveils £1 Billion Spending Boost for Science

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The UK government, led by Chancellor Gordon Brown, is set to make a significant investment in science, pledging £1 billion in funding over the next three years. This move aims to reverse the brain drain, which has led to many of Britain's leading practitioners emigrating abroad due to under-investment in scientific capital. The funding will be allocated to universities with good research records, allowing them to determine their own priorities and supplement the government's contribution with private funding.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UK government will allocate £1 billion in funding for science over the next three years, with a focus on reversing the brain drain.
  • The funding will support universities with good research records, enabling them to determine their own priorities for projects.
  • PhD students will receive increased stipends, rising from £6,620 to £9,000 by 2003-04 at a cost of approximately £150 million.
  • The government will provide £325 million in 2002-03 and £450 million in 2003-04 for scientific capital projects, representing a 55% increase over the previous two years.
  • The Wellcome Trust will contribute £225 million to support biomedical research over the two years.
  • The funding will require universities to raise 25% of the allocated amount through private funding from businesses or other sources.
  • The government has accepted the advice of scientific advisers that under-investment in the capital base of science has driven some of Britain's leading practitioners abroad.

Statistics:

  • £1 billion: total funding allocated for science over the next three years.
  • £6,620: current stipend for PhD students.
  • £9,000: increased stipend for PhD students by 2003-04.
  • £150 million: cost of increasing PhD student stipends.
  • £325 million: government funding for scientific capital projects in 2002-03.
  • £450 million: government funding for scientific capital projects in 2003-04.
  • 55%: increase in government funding for scientific capital projects over the previous two years.
  • £225 million: Wellcome Trust contribution to biomedical research over two years.
  • 25%: proportion of funding that universities must raise through private funding.

Sources:

  • The Times, Copyright (C) 2000.

Read more