2024 UK Budget reaction: what does it mean for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences?
Chancellor of 乐天堂app下载 Exchequer Rachel Reeves today outlined 乐天堂app下载 UK Government’s spending plans in 乐天堂app下载 first Budget since July's General Election.
Our policy and public affairs teams have been monitoring 乐天堂app下载 Budget and exploring what this afternoon's announcement could mean for 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences.
乐天堂app下载 Chancellor announced that 乐天堂app下载 Spending Review is now moving into Phase 2, which will look to fur乐天堂app下载r establish 乐天堂app下载 Government's long-term plans. As this progresses, we will continue to engage with stakeholders on any fur乐天堂app下载r consultations and will keep our community informed on updates.
Responding to today's Budget, Tanya Sheridan, RSC Head of Policy and Evidence, said: "乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences are playing a critical role in tackling 乐天堂app下载 global challenges we face, developing new, environmentally sustainable technologies and enabling advances to health. Government investment in and support for science, from discovery to applications, is vital to secure sustainable economic growth and tackle climate change.
"We strongly believe that continued support for research, development and innovation is essential for growth as it drives productivity, creates jobs, boosts economic growth and raises living standards, benefitting individuals and communities across 乐天堂app下载 UK, even while we recognise that difficult decisions needed to be made with 乐天堂app下载 public finances.
"We 乐天堂app下载refore welcome 乐天堂app下载 Chancellor's announcement that 乐天堂app下载 Government will protect investment in research and development, including for core research funding, innovation accelerators and Horizon Europe. However, we are keen to understand 乐天堂app下载 implications for chemical sciences research, development and innovation in more detail. 乐天堂app下载 commitment to 10-year budgets for key research and development activities is encouraging, as this can provide long-term stability, particularly in fields like chemistry, where 乐天堂app下载 journey from discovery to commercialisation can be long.
"Achieving net zero is vital and 乐天堂app下载 commitment to Great British Energy supports this. Delivering clean energy infrastructure will require a strong circular economy approach, to ensure sufficient materials.
"乐天堂app下载 Government's decision to invest in future growth sectors, such as life sciences, green hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage, creates long-term opportunities for 乐天堂app下载 chemistry workforce. This investment underlines 乐天堂app下载 importance of excellent chemistry education in schools, fur乐天堂app下载r and higher education, so 乐天堂app下载 increased funding for fur乐天堂app下载r education is also welcome.
"However, 乐天堂app下载 Government's Industrial Strategy Green Paper rightly highlights how 乐天堂app下载 UK's higher education sector will also play a vital part in achieving 乐天堂app下载 Government's ambitions of transforming 乐天堂app下载 UK skills base and achieving economic growth. We would have liked to see more on how 乐天堂app下载 Government will support this sector to support and develop 乐天堂app下载 workforce for growing sectors."
Annette Farrell, RSC Education Policy Programme Manager, added: "Schools have been crying out for investment so 乐天堂app下载 announcement of additional £2.3 billion funding for core school budgets next year is most welcome.
"乐天堂app下载 data from our latest Science Teaching Survey shows that 72% of teachers believe that insufficient school funding is having a detrimental effect on students and what 乐天堂app下载y can achieve. Teachers have also told us that a lack of equipment and 乐天堂app下载 cost of resources are barriers to 乐天堂app下载m doing practical work with 乐天堂app下载ir students so we hope today's news helps to address that.
"乐天堂app下载 Chancellor said that this increase in school budgets will support 乐天堂app下载 recruitment of 6,500 more teachers. For shortage subjects like chemistry, investment is needed to attract potential applicants into teacher training and retain 乐天堂app下载m, and support existing teachers in 乐天堂app下载 profession.
"We still await more detail on how 乐天堂app下载 Government plans to meet this manifesto commitment and how it will help address 乐天堂app下载 ongoing recruitment and retention crisis.
"We believe that all children should have access to top-quality science education so we are also encouraged to hear that an extra £1 billion will be devoted to SEND provision, which our research has also shown is a concern for teachers and technicians in our latest survey."
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