I'm only a week late with this - oh well.
The research council which funds most physics research, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has had its budget cut by £80 million. According to the Grauniad, it's the worst funding crisis in more than 20 years for the industry. I learned about it on the Today Programme (it's a bit like NPR but more left-wing and without the funding drives, for the trans-Atlantic readers). Now usually it's John Humphrys pressing on with the awkward questions (he and Jeremy Paxman are the best!), but Sarah Montague really socked it to Ian Pearson MP, the Minister for Science and Innovation!
I had to transcribe it myself, so I might have the odd word wrong here and there, but see what you think (you might be able to listen to it from here - you'll need to fast-forward to about 20 minutes in):
S: Well Ian Pearson is the Science Minister. Good morning.
P: Good morning Sarah.
S: Can you step in and help out with £80 million?
P: Well let me put this in context first Sarah. What we've seen is significant investment in science by the government over the last ten years and the science budget is actually going up over the next three years.
S: But they're short of £80 million. Can you help them out?
P: As I said the science is going up from £3.4 billion this year to £4 billion in 2010-11. And the budget for the STFC is actually going up as well by 13.6% over the next three years.
S: So you're not going to help them out with the extra £80 million?
P: We have concerns about the STFC's budgetary proposals and we've been discussing that with them over the last few days and weeks, and there clearly are problems and it's one of the reasons why, although we don't get interfering with the detail because we respect what's called the Haldane Principle which has been in place for many years; and I think in the light of this and the delivery plans that are going to be outlined by all the research councils today, I've asked Ian Diamond, chair of RCUK, to review support for physics which is a key part of our agenda on STEM - science, technology and engineering.
S: Okay, so you're going to review support with - to what end? That you will be able to help them out with the £80 million shortfall or not?
P: Well, let's put this in context again. The STFC -
S: Please - I know, I know, sorry - forgive me Mr Pearson but we have heard that. We've also heard that a lot of physicists across the country in university departments are going to be affected - they'll lose their jobs, departments are going to lose 25% of their budgets, so I'm just looking for some sort of answer from you as to whether you are going to help them out such that that will not happen.
P: Well, I'm concerned about that, Sarah. The STFC has got a budget of £1.9 billion over the next three years.
S: So £80 million is relatively small. Will you be able to help them out?
P: So, well, we will have to - to see what the review says, but certainly the health of the different disciplines - physics in particular - is something of concern to us and that's why Ian Diamond -
S: So you'll do what you can to try to help them out and get the extra money?
P: Well, nobody wants to see physics hit hard, Sarah, and this government has invested a lot in our STEM agenda, we've been investing a lot -
S: Sure, I'm just trying to understand whether that means that there isn't any more or there will be - you'll find the extra little bit.
P: Well, who can predict what the future of the review will come up with Sarah.
S: Okay.
P: Yeah - let's, let's just get this into overall perspective. Science spending is going up to £4 billion by 2011 - a big increase.
S: Thank you very much Ian Pearson.
One day, a politician will come along who is capable of answering a straight question. And when he or she arrives, people will be queuing up to vote for him or her. Unfortunately, Ian Pearson MP, Minister for Science and Innovation, is not that politician.
The research council which funds most physics research, the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has had its budget cut by £80 million. According to the Grauniad, it's the worst funding crisis in more than 20 years for the industry. I learned about it on the Today Programme (it's a bit like NPR but more left-wing and without the funding drives, for the trans-Atlantic readers). Now usually it's John Humphrys pressing on with the awkward questions (he and Jeremy Paxman are the best!), but Sarah Montague really socked it to Ian Pearson MP, the Minister for Science and Innovation!
I had to transcribe it myself, so I might have the odd word wrong here and there, but see what you think (you might be able to listen to it from here - you'll need to fast-forward to about 20 minutes in):
S: Well Ian Pearson is the Science Minister. Good morning.
P: Good morning Sarah.
S: Can you step in and help out with £80 million?
P: Well let me put this in context first Sarah. What we've seen is significant investment in science by the government over the last ten years and the science budget is actually going up over the next three years.
S: But they're short of £80 million. Can you help them out?
P: As I said the science is going up from £3.4 billion this year to £4 billion in 2010-11. And the budget for the STFC is actually going up as well by 13.6% over the next three years.
S: So you're not going to help them out with the extra £80 million?
P: We have concerns about the STFC's budgetary proposals and we've been discussing that with them over the last few days and weeks, and there clearly are problems and it's one of the reasons why, although we don't get interfering with the detail because we respect what's called the Haldane Principle which has been in place for many years; and I think in the light of this and the delivery plans that are going to be outlined by all the research councils today, I've asked Ian Diamond, chair of RCUK, to review support for physics which is a key part of our agenda on STEM - science, technology and engineering.
S: Okay, so you're going to review support with - to what end? That you will be able to help them out with the £80 million shortfall or not?
P: Well, let's put this in context again. The STFC -
S: Please - I know, I know, sorry - forgive me Mr Pearson but we have heard that. We've also heard that a lot of physicists across the country in university departments are going to be affected - they'll lose their jobs, departments are going to lose 25% of their budgets, so I'm just looking for some sort of answer from you as to whether you are going to help them out such that that will not happen.
P: Well, I'm concerned about that, Sarah. The STFC has got a budget of £1.9 billion over the next three years.
S: So £80 million is relatively small. Will you be able to help them out?
P: So, well, we will have to - to see what the review says, but certainly the health of the different disciplines - physics in particular - is something of concern to us and that's why Ian Diamond -
S: So you'll do what you can to try to help them out and get the extra money?
P: Well, nobody wants to see physics hit hard, Sarah, and this government has invested a lot in our STEM agenda, we've been investing a lot -
S: Sure, I'm just trying to understand whether that means that there isn't any more or there will be - you'll find the extra little bit.
P: Well, who can predict what the future of the review will come up with Sarah.
S: Okay.
P: Yeah - let's, let's just get this into overall perspective. Science spending is going up to £4 billion by 2011 - a big increase.
S: Thank you very much Ian Pearson.
One day, a politician will come along who is capable of answering a straight question. And when he or she arrives, people will be queuing up to vote for him or her. Unfortunately, Ian Pearson MP, Minister for Science and Innovation, is not that politician.
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