Brexit and funding for UK R&D.

THIS time last year, the UK’s electorate was gearing up to vote in a referendum to decide on the country’s future in the European Union. This week, the electorate is gearing up to vote again, this time to decide on the government it wants to lead Brexit negotiations. Among those who will be following those negotiations closely will be members of the UK’s research, development and innovation sector, including the veterinary research community. The EU currently has a total estimated budget of e120 billion available to support research and innovation activities up until 2020 and, in recent years, the UK has been one of the most successful EU member states when it comes to securing funding for R&D. In a report examining the role of the EU in funding UK research, published in December 2015, the Royal Society noted that, between 2007 and 2013, just under one-fifth of the total money the UK received from the EU was used to support research, development and innovation. Over the same period, the UK was a net beneficiary of EU funding for R&D, contributing e5.4 billion towards the EU’s R&D budget but receiving e8.8 billion of the EU’s total spend (of e107 billion) on research, development and innovation. This was the fourth largest share in the EU after Germany, Poland and Italy. Veterinary research in the UK is worldleading and the UK’s veterinary schools and research institutes all benefit from EU funding. Figures submitted to the most recent Research Excellence Framework evaluation in 2014 show that, between 2008 and 2013 – a similar time frame to that evaluated by the Royal Society – the seven veterinary schools existing at that time attracted almost £22 million from EU government bodies. The UK’s research institutes involved in veterinary or veterinary-related research are also recipients of EU funding – the Moredun Research Institute, for example, is currently collaborating in three EU projects. Between them, these projects have attracted a total of e28 million over varying time periods from the current EU funding round to be shared among participating institutes and universities. The Pirbright Institute announced in February that it was to play a key role in an international multipartner project relating to insectborne diseases that threaten human health and animal industries. This increase in government investment worth £2 billion per year by 2020 for R&D. In their manifestos for the forthcoming General Election the main parties make promises on funding for R&D. The Conservatives say they will stand by the increase in government investment announced last year. They also say that, within 10 years they will meet the current OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) average for investment in R&D of 2.4 per cent of GDP (the UK currently invests 1.7 per cent of GDP), with a longer term aim of 3 per cent. Likewise, the Labour Party says it will meet the OECD target of 3 per cent of GDP being spent on R&D by 2030. It will also seek to remain part of the Horizon 2020 programme and any successor programmes. The Liberal Democrats pledge to protect the science budget, including the £2 billion increase announced by the Prime Minister. The long-term goal, they say, will be to double innovation and research spending across the economy. They also guarantee to underwrite funding for British partners in EU-funded projects such as Horizon 2020. Leaving the EU may not mean that UK scientific institutions and researchers can no longer compete for EU money. For example, researchers in Switzerland have received funding from the Horizon 2020 programme. A number of mechanisms exist to allow non-EU countries to apply for EU funding, but there are conditions attached. In some cases, these countries contribute to the EU’s R&D budget but have no say in strategic decisions on how it is spent; freedom of movement of researchers is also a major condition of participation. The Brexit negotiations will begin in earnest after the General Election and, until they are concluded, the UK is still subject to European law. This means that researchers can continue to apply for EU funding and, indeed, they are still doing so. However, given that no-one knows what sort of deal the UK will eventually get from the EU, the R&D community is right to be concerned about the future. The UK’s universities and institutions will still represent excellent places to do research after Brexit, but access to wide-ranging sources of funding will be key to their future success.