Memorandum 2
Submission from Unite the Union
This response is submitted by Unite the Union.
Unite is the UK's largest trade union with 2 million members
across the private and public sectors. The union's members work
in a range of industries including manufacturing, financial services,
print, media, construction, transport and local government, education,
health and not for profit sectors.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
— The potential growth of the UK manufacturing
sector is predicated on a thriving and successful science and
engineering research base.— The future funding and investment
in research centres and higher education institutions by government
is vital to UK manufacturing innovation and research and development.
— Science and engineering policy must
be viewed holistically, from education policy through to the successful
financial exploitation of goods and services researched, designed
and produced in the UK by UK workers.
— There is enormous potential in the
purchasing power of government public procurement to stimulate
innovation in its suppliers and manufacturing excellence and efficiency
in the UK.
— Government must re-evaluate its laissez-faire
attitude to UK manufacturing and its contribution to the UK economy
by appointing an effective Minister for Manufacturing.
— Unite believes the creation of a
Department for Science is a crucial step forward, especially as
Lord Drayson is now the Minister for Science.
— There is overwhelming evidence that
a national strategy for the teaching of science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM) subjects is required.
— Unite is clear that there needs to
be a rigorous marketing campaign to encourage teachers and careers
advisors to raise the profile of studying science and engineering
and the career options available.
— The Haldane principle is fine in
principle but the 25% claw back by government must be targeted
at forwarding science and engineering research in the UK and ensuring
there is a balance between academic institutions, the needs of
UK industry and the wider international community.
— To ensure there is a growth in the
development of new and innovative products and services in the
Space sector, government must create a climate conducive to all
stakeholders involved in the sector.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Unite welcomes the opportunity to respond
to this consultation. Unite represents thousands of members who
work within a large number of industrial sectors that rely heavily
on innovation and scientific research and development. These
workers are crucial to manufacturing industry across the globe
and it is the retention and promotion of UK scientists and engineers
that is of vital importance to many of the most dynamic and progressive
companies in the UK.
1.2 Unite works extensively with employers across
the manufacturing sector and a large number of them have consistently
expressed concern about the systematic changes within science
and engineering teaching, the quality of higher education provision,
the loss of Physics grants across the UK and the "knock-on"
effect these have on the wider manufacturing sector and ultimately
the UK economy.
1.3 Government ignores at its peril the
innovation and R&D requirements of new growth industries such
as climate change objectives, research into new forms of energy,
research which can be transferred into environmentally friendly
products and services, the sheer growth of onward technological
change required in the defence industry with the wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq, Space innovation and how the world will feed itself
in the future.
1.4 It is clear that the potential for growth
in the UK manufacturing sector is huge, but this growth is predicated
on the science and engineering research base being well funded
and important research centres being sufficiently resourced.
To this end Unite believes that science and engineering policy
cannot be seen in isolation but must be viewed holistically from
education policy right through to the successful financial exploitation
of products researched and designed in the UK by scientists and
engineers working in the UK.
1.5 Unite believes there is immense potential
in using the enormous purchasing power of government public procurement
to stimulate innovation amongst its suppliers. Procurement could
be used to favour the brightest and best ideas in industry and
assist in stimulating manufacturing excellence and efficiency
in the UK.
2. DEPARTMENT
FOR SCIENCE
2.1 Unite has consistently expressed concern
that the present government does not take manufacturing seriously
and has done little and achieved less in focussing on the role
and contribution that manufacturing has to offer the UK economy.
2.2 Unite believes that a Department for Science
would be a step in the right direction; especially as Lord Drayson
is now the Minster for Science, and could contribute greatly to
a focus and strategic overview that is currently lacking. Unite
would like to see a consistent, pragmatic approach to science
and engineering policy in the UK. Unite has noted that too many
Ministerial changes, the imposition of new education policies,
the cuts in science funding coupled with the lack of a committed
Minister for manufacturing has created a situation where UK industry
is consistently falling behind in the global market.
2.3 The EU Lisbon Strategy which calls for
a high value, highly skilled workforce is predicated on the production
of a high number of highly educated, highly skilled workers being
produced consistently in the UK. UK expenditure on research and
development is currently 1.73% of GDP[11]
which means the target of achieving R&D intensity of 3% of
GDP for the whole of the European Union by 2010 is clearly
unachievable and UK government and business must work together
to improve this situation.
3. EDUCATION
AND TRAINING
3.1 Unite believes there should be a national
strategy for the teaching of science, technology, engineering
and mathematics (STEM) subjects which needs to have a clear focus
and objective and also to be free of over burdening bureaucratic
involvement. The UK government has introduced a huge number of
new education initiatives, which have yet to bed down and produce
systematic positive results.
3.2 There also needs to be a clear delineation
in the statistics around STEM subject degree qualifiers, how many
are from UK students and how many from students from abroad but
studying in the UK. The proportion of foreign PhD students is
second only to the USA and this is especially true of engineering;
51% of engineering doctoral degrees from UK universities are awarded
to overseas students.[12]
3.3 It is vital that new educational structures
and further education training schemes are accountable and transparent.
Unite works extensively with employers to ensure there is significant
work place training for workers and in this way everyone can enjoy
the benefits of a life-long learning agenda that in turn benefits
UK business and the UK economy.
3.4 Unite has expressed serious concerns
about the decline in the number of entrants to STEM subject A
levels. This really does need to be addressed and it is vital
that young people and their parents receive the correct information
to allow them to make the right choices when choosing their subject
choices. Unite also believes that the suggestion to increase
the UCAS points value for STEM subjects could increase the value
of these subjects to students and encourage more young people
to opt for those subjects.
3.5 Teachers and careers advisors are in
a position to highlight the benefits and the broad career choices
that are available from studying science and engineering. It is
clear that government policy which is forcing the closure of physics
department across the UK must be addressed. Cutting grants at
a time when government is saying that "a high value, highly
skilled workforce is the key to wealth creation in the future",[13]
is madness. There should be no further cuts in research grants
to universities and Unite would want to see an increase to at
least previous levels of funding for science and engineering.
4. HALDANE PRINCIPLE
4.1 Unite believes that the Research Councils
do an excellent job of supporting the balance required between
industry and academia. The present set up where 25% of the funding
for Research Councils is clawed back by government for specific
research targets is fine as long as government uses the funding
to forward science and engineering in the UK and works closely
with industry to ensure research projects selected are strategic,
pragmatic and innovative.
4.2 Unite would also like to see a specific link
between certain research institutions and industry. In this way
Unite believes that a greater balance will be achieved in ensuring
that research undertaken by academic institutions is not purely
done for the financial rewards but is balanced by the needs of
UK industry and the wider international community.
4.3 Unite is clear that there should be
a national science and engineering policy. There is scope for
regional initiatives which could chime with key research work
being undertaken by research institutions that may also be linked
to local companies. Unite also recognises that the UK needs to
be centre stage of any science or Space policy in Europe. The
UK cannot afford to devolve satellite services and Space policy
purely to Europe but it is imperative that the UK government when
formulating policy does not work in isolation of what is happening
in Europe and in the wider international community.
5. SPACE
5.1 The UK Space sector currently contributes
around £7 billion to the UK economy.[14]
Space is an excellent example of a sector that is providing world
class research in astronomy, solar physics and planetary science,
but suffers from haphazard policy decisions and a lack of commitment
by government for strategic investment.
5.2 The sector has also achieved scientific excellence
in Earth science, understanding climate change and world-class
environment forecasting. This will not continue unless government
commits fundamentally to the long term financial investment that
is needed for a "blue-sky" sector.
5.3 To ensure the development of new and
innovative products and services, to increase the UK share of
this growing international sector, government must create a climate
where science and engineering policy encourages young people to
study science and engineering and also brings together research
institutions and industry to develop products and services that
benefit the wider international community and the UK economy.
UNITE RECOMMENDATIONS
— Government must acknowledge the importance
of manufacturing to the UK economy and appoint an effective Minister
for Manufacturing.— Government must ensure the relevant
Research Councils are sufficiently funded to ensure that science
and engineering receive the high profile they require and the
consistent investment they need.
— Unite believes science and engineering
policy should be viewed holistically, from education and training
policy through to the successful exploitation of products and
services.
— Unite believes government should
be encouraging the use of public procurement to stimulate innovation
amongst its suppliers.
— Unite believes research and development
and launch aid investment should be linked and used to create
and sustain manufacturing jobs in the UK.
— Unite believes there should be a
Department for Science and this should include engineering and
innovation.
— Unite believes government still has
substantial work to do to achieve the goals set out in the EU
Lisbon strategy for a high value, highly skilled workforce.
— Unite believes the trade union movement
should have a substantial role in the development of skills and
training within the workplace and a training levy should be introduced
if employers consistently refuse to train their workers.
— Unite believes there should be a
national strategy for the teaching and development of STEM subjects
in the UK.
— Unite believes the profile of manufacturing
and the career opportunities it offers needs to be developed and
improved.
— Unite believes there should be a
national science and engineering policy with scope for regional
initiatives and opportunities.
January 2009
11 Science, technology and innovation in Europe, Eurostat
Pocket Book 2008 edition. Back
12
Internationalisation of R&D in the UK: a review of the evidence,
Arthur D. Little with Prof Reinhilde Veugelers, November 2005. Back
13
Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP. Back
14
UK Civil Space Strategy 2008-2012 and beyond. Back
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