BEIS spent more than half its 2019-20 budget on R&D

Department’s annual report reiterates ambition for UK to become a science superpower

The UK business department has announced that it spent more than half its budget on science and research in 2019-20, as it reiterated its ambition for the country to become a “science superpower”.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy spent £14.1 billion on its core activities and partner organisations, according to its annual report, released on 30 September. Of this, £7.8bn went to UK Research and Innovation, £445 million to the UK Space Agency and £253m to internal science and research.