Science and tech superpower on the horizon?

Recently launched to much aplomb by the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary, it is the first major piece of work from the newly created Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and aims to “challenge every part of government to better put the UK at the forefront of global science and technology this decade through ten key actions – creating a coordinated cross-government approach”.

On the face of it this sounds fantastic, but after further consideration I can’t help but be somewhat underwhelmed. I won’t detail each of the actions that the plan includes, but suffice to say, having read through them myself my first thought was: is the UK not already doing everything on the list, and if not, why not? For example, one of the point is “building on the UK’s talent and skills base” - well duh! I'm also not entirely sure what halving inflation has to do with a science and technology framework, but that's one of the things that the Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan chose to talk about in her foreword, so who am I to question?

I know I’m probably being too cynical and of course, the full document outlining the plan does include lots of sensible ambitions that, if fulfilled, could indeed help cement the UK as a science and technology superpower, although whether this will be possible by 2030, which seems to be the aim, it a different matter.

Another notable aspect of the framework is that it fails to even mention association with the €95.5b Horizon Europe reserach programme, which seems odd particularly as the announcement of the Winsor Framework could pave the way for UK involvement, which had previously been blocked by the EU. Indeed Donelan has said a deal for the UK to associate to Horizon Europe would need to be on “acceptable and favourable terms” and has declined to guarantee that the UK will definitely join the programme.

It has also been reported that the Prime Minister is keen on an alternative research programme put together by ministers, known as "Plan B". This would be a UK-led programme involving collaboration with non-EU as well as European nations. This comes on the back of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy returning £1.6b of funds to the Treasury, which had originally been set aside for UK involvement Horizon Europe research programme.

While I try to see the potential upsides of the UK forgoing involvement in Horizon Europe in favour of a more worldwide home-grown alternative, I can't help looking at the post-Brexit trade deals that have been made and feeling thoroughly disenchanted about the whole situation. If the government is serious about making the UK a science and technology superpower, I would propose a starting of just two key actions - provide the necessary funding and join Horizon Europe.