Royal Society President responds to 2024 Spring Budget

Responding to the Chancellor's Spring Budget announcement, Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society, said:

“It is good to see science, innovation and technology as recurring themes in the Chancellor’s budget speech. The link between investment in research and increasing productivity and growth is now an accepted political reality. 

“Any long-term plan to improve public services and drive private sector growth, now needs a long-term investment plan for the research and innovation sector. It also needs reform of the educational system to ensure all young people have the maths, data and science skills they need for the well-paid jobs of the future. 

“Without that long-term thinking the UK will not be able to capitalise on its existing strengths in areas such as AI, net-zero technologies and the life sciences.”