IFS questions Osborne’s “short sighted” failure to invest in science and skills
The Institute for Fiscal Studies today urged the government to invest rapidly in skills and science, to avoid falling further behind rising economies like China.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies today urged the government to invest rapidly in skills and science, to avoid falling further behind rising economies like China.
Today the chancellor made it quite clear, for anyone still unsure, that we are not ‘all in this together’ as he announced even bigger tax breaks for business than already planned.
The govt has announced a £940m university funding cut, but surely it is better having teachers teaching and young people learning than consigning thousands to the dole, writes Sally hunt.
The freezing of the £4.6 billion budget for scientific research could mean a cut of 8.9 per cent in real terms – though it could have been a lot worse, “it’s not as bad as we were expecting” being the common refrain among scientists at a Young Fabians policy network event this week on the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review in on research and development and science.
British universities are in trouble. Lord Browne today proposes a huge cut in the Hefce budget, while the govt. plans to cut funding for scientific research.
With forthcoming cuts to research and possible restrictions on the entry of foreign students today’s world university Rankings are very timely.
David Willetts, minister of science, yesterday confirmed on the Today programme that the science budget will be cut. Although I don’t agree with this policy, I was not surprised. The decision has been widely trailed, with most university departments quietly bracing themselves for this outcome.