Lords Committee to examine UK science infrastructure
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The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee has launched an inquiry into the UK's science infrastructure, with a view to finding out whether a suitable long term plan is in place for the investment, use, operational costs and upgrades of scientific infrastructure.
Lord Krebs, pictured, the Committee's chair, said: "Large scale science infrastructure, such as supercomputers, telescopes and major lasers, are of great importance to scientific endeavour. Internationally, we have seen the impact the Large Hadron Collider has had on our understanding of the universe. It is essential that the UK has an investment strategy in place to develop its own infrastructure to support scientific discovery and, ultimately, economic growth."
Initially, the Committee is inviting written evidence on topics such as the amount of scientific infrastructure available, the role of Government and the impact of publically funded scientific infrastructure. It is also looking to determine the extent to which UK funding structures affect involvement in EU and international projects.
Lord Krebs added: "We will seek to establish whether there has been an adverse impact on UK scientific infrastructure from reduced Government investment, whether Government has a robust, fit for purpose process for identifying and planning for future infrastructure needs, and how infrastructure stimulates cooperation with industry, other academics and the EU. Our report will then set out the way ahead on this vital issue for Government."
