Memorandum submitted by from LGC (FC 34)
1. LGC recognises the unique role of Government
in science, education, research and technology and the positive
impact this has on the health of the economy and the well-being
and protection of our citizens. We also recognise the strength
of Government in providing policy, direction and resources but
understand that the level of the latter will inevitably need to
reduce in the short to medium term in order to address the deficit
in public finances. However, as a technology based company that
services Government and innovative industrial sectors and that
has strong interfaces with academia, LGC urges that:
— The levels of cut-backs are kept to a
minimum to preserve the UK science community's international standing
and to ensure that sufficient support is given to areas that will
underpin industrial growth and development and enhance the UK
position as a leading innovative and manufacturing economy. Science
can act as one of the major mechanisms to bridge the gap left
by the financial crisis, by way of its contribution to health
and public protection and the economy.
— Any cuts that need to be made are restricted
to areas where they can be mitigated by efficiency savings or
are achieved by providing greater focus on activities that will
have the greatest impact on public and environmental protection
and in creating the wealth that is necessary for sustainable growth.
2. We have sub-divided our input to provide
feedback within the main areas of Government intervention in science,
namely: education; research funding; infrastructure; and policy
and regulation setting and enforcement. This feedback is provided
from a private sector perspective, where the natural competitive
landscape and efficiency pressures have led to an understanding
of how best to deliver more impact with reducing resources. We
believe that there is increasing scope for the private sector
to work in partnership with Government to direct and deliver science
and to achieve our national objectives efficiently.
3. EDUCATION
3.1 Government plays a vital role in delivering
an appropriate skill base to meet the requirements of industry
and to maintain the UK's leading academic edge. As an employer
of over 600 UK science graduates we value an education system
that attracts our leading intellectual capital to study the sciences
and that develops an appropriate number and quality of individuals
with strong understanding of core disciplines (chemistry, physics,
biology, biochemistry and mathematics) and of research. At the
same time, the system must enable others to concentrate on the
practical skills that will equip them to contribute within an
industrial setting. We do not support the drive to pull higher
numbers of individuals in to higher education purely for the sake
of so doing. For example, we observe increasing numbers of courses
and students taking degree qualifications in niche subjects like
forensic science. Yet, as one of the UK's leading forensic laboratory
service providers we rarely find it beneficial to recruit from
this base. Employers require a more solid grounding in the STEM
subjects; these are seen to be essential building blocks to developing
understanding, alongside the equally essential development of
critical thinking, problem solving/analytical skills.
3.2 We do see opportunities for the UK to
be more streamlined in delivering an effective skill base and
hope that the momentum for this will come from fundamental reviews
of the scientific education system. We also believe that education
and training is a fertile area for greater public/private partnership.
LGC continually appraises its links with universities to ensure
delivery of the kind of graduates that best fit our requirements,
especially where there is a slant towards specialisation. For
example, LGC is actively discussing graduate level provision for
a new Forensic science course with Oxford University, and established
a MSc course in Analytical Chemistry with Kingston University
to support the scarcity of good graduates with practical skills
in mass spectrometry
4. RESEARCH FUNDING
4.1 The funding and commissioning of scientific
research at both fundamental and applied levels and the associated
monitoring and governance of this spending is a critical role
of Government.
4.2 The UK needs to continue to support
blue sky research and to take a long term view on associated benefits.
There are many examples over history where the outputs of fundamental
research have led on to unpredicted industrial application. Any
cuts in this domain should in our view be restricted in line with
considerations of end-focus. The UK needs to recognise that it
can no longer afford to stay at the leading edge of all areas
of research and emphasis needs to be given to science that is
most relevant to the direction of UK industry and to topics of
national and international concern. A more detailed and holistic
UK national science and technology strategy is needed to underpin
these decisions. We question the value of the practice of developing
detailed metrics to define the benefits of fundamental research.
In our view this creates unnecessary and unproductive work within
academia and instead the priority should be given to ensuring
that related endeavours are truly world class, thereby providing
long term benefit to the UK.
4.3 Metrics are more relevant for applied
research where input from industry is essential in defining direction.
Where metrics are used we would urge for consistency in how these
are measured. There is a role for Government in providing better
guidance in defining ways for quantifying returns on investment
that enable meaningful comparisons of different areas of scientific
research and of associated funding schemes. In these difficult
economic times we need to be highly efficient in the way that
we define, direct, manage and monitor research funds—the
private sector could provide increased support to achieve this
aim. For example, LGC is already working with the Department of
Health to deliver cost-effective research programme management
from a commercial scientific organisation that understands how
to run large projects and how to facilitate our leading scientists
to contribute to areas that Government prioritises.
5. INFRASTRUCTURE
5.1 Effective science requires access to
advanced infrastructure and hence we support the maintenance of
critical national assets such as those funded through the Science
and Technology Facilities Council. UK infrastructure should consist
of the best in facilities and world class people and both of these
require continuous investment in order to remain competitive and
attract and retain leading talent. Cuts in this area can be highly
damaging and difficult to repair and we advocate the need to target
budget reductions to areas that are not considered core to UK
science and business strategy.
5.2 Metrology is an example of an area where
cuts to capability could result in irreparable damage to UK competitiveness.
This capability is funded by the Department of Business Innovation
and Skills through the National Measurement Office (NMO), and
outputs have been shown by independent evaluation to provide significant
payback to the economy. Measurement is a core enabling science
for wide sectors of UK industry and the National Measurement System
(NMS) that is supported by the NMO plays a critical role in maintaining
related standards and quality. The UK is a recognised leader in
this field largely through the work of the National Physical Laboratory
(Government owned) but also of LGC and TUV NEL (private
sector businesses). However, cutbacks in this area have already
begun to compromise the ability of these laboratories to retain
the skills and to develop new project areas that will deliver
world-class science. Further reductions in funding would certainly
impact on the capacity to retain international leadership, particularly
when other countries like the US, Korea and China are increasing
related investments. We suspect that this scenario is common to
other areas of critical infrastructure which might also now be
threatened with financial cutbacks.
5.3 The NMS is also an excellent example
of where the private sector is taking a very active role in providing
and managing UK infrastructure. We believe that the private sector
should play a greater role in running public sector science laboratories
and suggest that this route is explored when looking for improved
productivity and related financial savings.
6. POLICY AND
REGULATION
6.1 Finally, Government requires good science
to set and enforce policy and regulations and to undertake surveillance
and monitoring of critical areas of human well-being including
food, environment, health and medicines.
6.2 Research and enforcement activity in
policy and regulation is currently largely delivered by public
sector laboratories. However, we believe that the private sector
could contribute to a much greater extent than it currently does
in these areas. For example, the management and development of
public sector facilities through outsourcing or under Government
Owned-Contractor Operated arrangements could provide cost benefits
to the UK and these could be appropriate even in sensitive areas
of science and policy. Indeed we can point to demonstrable models
where critical regulatory and legislative activities are run within
LGC and where the UK is leveraging benefits. These benefits include
activities being hosted within a well-equipped facility run by
experienced technical and business managers, without compromising
Government's ability to control priorities and agendas. At the
same time, the high level of independence and quality required
of associated scientific work is maintained.
6.3 Regulatory enforcement and surveillance
is often a mandatory obligation on UK Government as a member state
of the EU and is also vital in building public confidence, protecting
our society from potential threats and in reducing longer term
impacts on environmental and human health. LGC can demonstrate
how opening up the provision of this surveillance to competition
has led to improved service levels and driven down costs to the
taxpayer.
Our view is that there is the potential for
further benefit to be derived by increasing private sector involvement
in these processes and ensuring the operation of fair market principles.
7. We welcome this opportunity to input
into this important inquiry and we would be value the opportunity
to provide greater detail and explanation of our responses.
DECLARATION OF
INTEREST
LGC provides a wide range of measurement services
to the UK public and private sector and is the designated UK National
Measurement Institute (NMI) for chemical and biological metrology.
As an NMI, LGC engages extensively with the UK academic and industrial
sectors.
David Richardson
Chief Executive, LGC
January 2010
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