Royal Society response to Autumn Statement

Venki Ramakrishnan, President of the Royal Society, said: 

"The Chancellor has rightly recognised that future economic growth and prosperity will depend on improving productivity, and that in turn can be driven by research and innovation.

“This commitment to an additional £4.7 billion new investment in science and innovation over the next four years alongside the other investments in infrastructure are welcome steps as we negotiate the risks and opportunities of leaving the EU.

“We in the research community must recognise that this is hard-earned taxpayers’ money and do our part to ensure that we make optimal use of it, through research and innovation that spurs growth in the foreseeable future and supports the Government’s plans for industrial strategy, as well as generating fundamental knowledge that creates completely new industries over the long term.”