london

Research in Scottish institutions should continue to be funded through the UK research councils once Scotland gets its own parliament and executive after elections next month, recommends a report by the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh.

The report, published today (22 April), argues that any fragmentation of funding would harm Scottish science, for example if Scottish researchers were prevented from competing for UK-wide funds.

It adds that a larger overall science base is better equipped than a smaller one to weather changes to national research priorities. And it argues that a separate Scottish science base could harm the government's plans to develop Britain's knowledge industries, potentially impeding the flow of economic benefits from basic research to Scotland.

“A large-scale research system has a greater capacity to maintain research diversity, and thereby the flexibility to pursue new directions,” say the two societies. “It is therefore important that devolution does not lead to fragmentation of basic science, engineering and technology (SET) in the United Kingdom, and that Scotland remains integrated within the UK system as part of the European SET base.”

These conclusions are unlikely to be welcomed by the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), which is running a close second to the Labour Party in opinion polls for the 6 May elections. The SNP would like the new parliament to be as powerful as possible.

The Labour government, on the other hand, may be more supportive. Labour has placed education and the knowledge economy at the heart of its Scottish election manifesto, promising to invest £100 million (US$161 million) in research infrastructure over the next three years.

The report's other recommendations include the appointment of a “senior minister” for science, and the creation of a science policy advisory board for the Scottish executive. Chaired by a senior scientist, this board would comprise representatives from research and industry.

Another senior scientist should be given responsibility for science advice to ministers, for the implementation of science policy, and for liaison with British science bodies, says the report.

The report adds that members of the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh will need their own source of independent scientific advice.