What are the scores?

Leading UK firms spent almost £21billion on R&D during 2006 – a rise of 9% over 2005 – according to figures published recently by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. The annual R&D Scoreboard, published in collaboration with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, also shows the 75 biggest UK based R&D investors increased their R&D spend by 12%. However, the figures may be skewed by the UK’s strength in the pharmaceuticals sector. Science and Innovation Minister Ian Pearson said: “We want to see more R&D and innovation across the board. This year’s figures show that more and more British firms are taking innovation seriously. Developments in science and technology are opening up many more opportunities for companies to innovate and grow, and I hope that the R&D Scoreboard will continue to help inform their plans for the future.” According to the Scoreboard, there is evidence that companies in some sectors are putting R&D investment before short term gains, with the UK’s aerospace and software firms putting more money into R&D than they reported as operating profit.