British scientists fear £1billion funding cut for new research | science

Scientists are bracing for the prospect of major cuts to research funding in this week's budget. Some senior figures say they are concerned that up to $1 billion could be withdrawn from cash provided to fund scientific projects in the UK.

A key concern for scientists was the additional $1 billion needed to pay for UK membership in the EU's Horizon Europe research and innovation program, which the UK rejoined last year. You may need to find this money through savings elsewhere. UK Research and Innovation's (UKRI) annual budget of $8 billion is almost certain to be pillaged unless Reeves, the UK's main funder of basic research, supplies additional funding.

Cuts of this level would jeopardize the country's position as a world leader in basic research and could make it difficult for UKRI to fund new projects, they say.

The prospect of cuts of up to $1 billion this week, and concerns that UKRI will have no grants to offer next year, is deeply worrying and will cause real damage to our Nobel Prize-winning research and innovation ecosystem. Professor Andre Geim and former University of Manchester chancellor Professor Nancy Rothwell wrote an article for the online Observer.

Simply put, if governments take action now to block the flow of R&D funding, they can't pump it back in a few years and expect the same results, say physiologists Rothwell and the victorious Geim. He won the Nobel Prize as a co-inventor of graphene, an ultra-strong material.

Other senior scientists believe the cuts imposed by Reeves will be less than $1 billion, but still fear a significant reduction in funding, a possibility that prompted more than 40 of Britain's most prominent scientists to sign a letter to the Times last week. . A significant reduction in UK R&D spending would have serious negative consequences for the country, they warned.

The cuts now will result in the loss of jobs, expertise and momentum at a time when the sector is needed to make its vital contribution to economic growth and productivity, the group said.

Professor Ian Boyd of the University of St Andrews, one of the letter's signatories, told the Observer there were real concerns that the UK's science budget would be cut, and this could have a particularly detrimental impact on new fields. research.

Research projects often take years to complete, meaning funding for the project has already been committed and contracts have been awarded, he said. This means that the only way to impose new cuts is to cancel projects that have not yet started and are still in the planning stages. This could ultimately mean that no new research will be conducted in many areas. Therefore, the impact can be very serious.

Boyd added: Additionally, cuts will delay infrastructure renewal and the training of young scientists and reduce our ability to use science to fuel economic growth and break out of the status quo.

Skip past newsletter promotions

Our morning email breaks down the day's top stories to tell you what's happening and why it matters.

Privacy Policy: Our newsletter may contain information about charities, online advertising and externally funded content. Please see our privacy policy for more details. We use Google reCaptcha to secure our website, which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

After newsletter promotion

Scientists point to the UK's major recent scientific successes, including the COVID-19 vaccine, new anti-cancer drugs and the invention of materials such as graphene. Science is seed corn, said Sir Paul Nurse, Nobel laureate and director of the Francis Crick Institute in London. It's an investment in the future. Current research is also very important for health as it serves as a source of new drugs and treatments for the future. Therefore, reducing the science budget will harm the future industry and the future health of the nation.

John-Arne Rttingen, CEO of the Wellcome Trust, the UK's independent science funder, highlighted this reduced impact. We are committed to investing in a functioning research system in the UK. Therefore, when we see a threat to research budgets, we will actively call out the need for appropriate investment.

Nurse, who was recently re-elected as president of the Royal Society, said the UK was at the bottom of the OECD's basic R&D spending chart. This shows there needs to be more government spending on science, he argued. Given all these fundamentals, I added, I cannot believe that this Government would be foolish enough to make the kinds of cuts that are being rumored.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos