More cash needs to be committed to science

RSC Chief Executive, Richard Pike, has responded to new higher education funding announcements with a letter to the Daily Telegraph today. 

Sir,

The announced HEFCE funding (Telegraph 6 March) includes continuation of £25 million extra to support subjects like chemistry, deemed (correctly) to be of strategic importance to the UK but also vulnerable, being more costly to maintain than other subjects. 

This continuing commitment is very useful and we acknowledge it, having urged the case strongly, for the past few years, for better funding of physical sciences at our campuses.

However, it is still a short-term measure which should be replaced soon by a more permanent and more realistic channel of funding.

Britain needs to generate adequate numbers of scientists to tackle the intertwined challenges of climate change, energy provision and overall sustainability for the future.

Such talent will also be required to keep the UK competitive economically and to guarantee the security and supply of our future food and water.

With so much at stake the Government must come up with more cash for science and a better strategy for its allocation.

Yours,

Dr Richard Pike

The Royal Society of Chemistry