Government ‘absolutely’ values R&D ties, despite cuts and delays

UK government insists it is committed to international R&D amid ODA cuts and Horizon prevarication

The UK government has insisted it “absolutely” recognises the importance of international R&D collaboration, in its response to a Lords’ report that criticised cuts to Official Development Assistance and the ongoing lack of association with the EU research and innovation programme.

In August, the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee published the findings of an investigation into the UK’s desire to be a “science and tech superpower”, looking specifically at whether this could become an “empty slogan” without a “laser focus on implementation”.