Memorandum submitted by the Royal Society
/ Royal Academy of Engineering Science Advisory Group for the
National Physical Laboratory (NPL) (FC 13)
RESEARCH FUNDING
CUTS
I write to you as Chair of the Royal Society/Royal
Academy of Engineering Science Advisory Group for the National
Physical Laboratory (NPL), in order to make the enclosed plea
for the National Physical Laboratory, the UK home of Measurement
Science and Technology.
This group is formally part of DBIS and reports
annually to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and
Skills. It is supported by the National Measurement Office (NMO),
as part of the National Measurement System (NMS).
This group was established over 13 years ago
when NPL became a GOCO and the government asked the Royal Society
and the Royal Academy of Engineering to monitor the quality of
research at NPL, and to assist in maintaining the high international
profile for which NPL was renowned. It consists of six eminent
Fellows[2]
who advise NMO on the quality of science at NPL and on strategic
issues such as NPL's longer-term research capability and whether
its reputation for excellence is being maintained.
Although the enclosed may not be exactly in
the nature of what you are expecting, the Advisory Group considers
its content to be very important for the UK's future academic
standing and industrial competitiveness. On that basis, I would
ask that your Members consider it seriously.
Ian Shanks
A PLEA FOR THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL LABORATORY,
UK HOME OF MEASUREMENT S&T
1. The National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
holds the UK Government's formal responsibility for measurement
science and technology, a role that began many years ago. It carries
this remit proudly, for it ranks equal with the world-class centres
in the USA and Germany. Measurement technology underpins much
of industry, and NPL's mission is essential if the Government's
increased investment in R&D is to have economic impact. The
knowledge generated by academia cannot be translated readily into
products with the standard and precision required by the customer.
The growth in regulation, by both the Government and the EC, makes
this bridge vital.
2. Industry moves rapidly today, and so
must measurement science. The ultra- precision time measurements
needed for advanced telecommunications, and the biotechnology
measurement tasks demanded by the pharmaceutical industry are
examples of these new major scientific challenges. To ensure that
NPL stays in this race, the Government commissioned the Royal
Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering to establish a monitoring
group who would survey their scientific capability, and report
to the relevant Secretary of State, now Lord Mandelson. We now
wish to pass our concerns to you.
3. In the past several years we have witnessed
NPL's struggle to maintain its reputation, built on stars like
Robert Watson-Watt, the inventor of radar, Alan Turing, the father
of modern computing, Louis Essen, the creator of the atomic clock,
and John Pople, a Nobel prizewinner. The competition is harsh,
and gifted scientists will come and stay only if they are confident
that the future is bright. The task has not been eased by the
higher profile given recently to science by the UK Government,
for though the science budget has doubled, NPL has seen no benefit.
Generosity for some has caused problems for others and this has
tilted the level playing field.
4. Accurate measurements are of universal
importance in advancing Science and Technology and setting fundamental
standards. This is not solely an academic concern. The skills
also underpin product developments. Defining and maintaining such
standards and implementing them objectively are the very bedrock
of the UK's commercial competitiveness. Our international rivals
perhaps see this more clearly than the UK, for both before and
during the recession their measurement laboratories have enjoyed
excellent funding. In the US this was bolstered last year by a
grant of over £500 million plus an 8% increase in their annual
funding of £400 million. Compare this with NPL's much more
modest annual government grant, which has progressively reduced
in real terms to a figure of under £50 million in 2010.
5. At a time of budget cuts there will always
be a rash of special cases for exemption. We, the Royal Society/Royal
Academy of Engineering Science Advisory Group, ask for more than
that. NPL has been a poor relation for many years, and the value
it gives to the economy is vastly underrated by the Government.
We plead for the increase needed to maintain the UK's competitive
position internationally, and can give evidence on the multiplication
in money created by NPL's measurement science. We ask the Select
Committee to support us in this endeavour.
Ian Shanks FRS FREng FRSE
(CHAIR)
Anne Dell CBE FRS FMedSci
Lynn Gladden CBE FRS FREng
Cyril Hilsum CBE FRS FREng
Sir Martin Taylor FRS
Peter Wells CBE FRS FREng
FMedSci
2 Ian Shanks FRS FREng FRSE (CHAIR) Formerly Vice President
Physical & Engineering Sciences at Unilever and Chief Scientist
THORN EMI plc; Visiting Professor of Electronic & Electrical
Engineering, University of Glasgow.++para++Anne Dell CBE FRS FMedSci
Professor of Carbohydrate Biochemistry at Imperial College, London.++para++Lynn
Gladden CBE FRS FREng Shell Professor and Head of Department of
Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge.++para++Cyril
Hilsum CBE FRS FREng Formerly Director of Research, General Electric
Company; Visiting Professor of Physics, UCL.++para++Sir Martin
Taylor FRS Past Physical Sciences Secretary of the Royal Society;
Professor of Pure Mathematics, University of Manchester.++para++Peter
Wells CBE FRS FREng FMedSci Distinguished Research Professor,
School of Engineering, Cardiff University; Visiting Professor,
Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Imperial College, London.++para++++para++ Back
|
