Science Minister questioned on delivering UK’s innovation ambitions
The Lords Science and Technology Committee will question the Science Minister and industry leaders on how the Catapult Network can increase private sector R&D investment, in the final evidence sessions of this inquiry.
The Committee is concluding its inquiry into the contribution of the Catapults to delivering the Government’s R&D Roadmap. The Catapults are not-for-profit, independent technology and innovation centres, which connect businesses with the UK's research and academic communities. The Committee is seeking to understand how the Catapults can deliver on their objective, in order to encourage increased private sector investment in R&D. The Committee will be asking how the Catapults activities fit into the Government’s wider R&D ambitions, including the target of 2.4% of GDP being spent on research and development by 2027.
The Committee will first of all hear from leading figures from Local Enterprise Partnerships, the Northern Powerhouse, and the CBI, to learn what the private sector would need in order to make further investments. The Committee will then question Minister Solloway about the evidence heard over the course of the inquiry.
Meeting details
Possible questions
- Is achieving the 2.4% R&D investment target feasible in the timeframe set by the Government, including the two-thirds anticipated from industry?
- What are the barriers to the private sector investing in R&D in the UK, and are the Catapults able to help industry overcome these barriers?
- Are there any barriers preventing businesses from effectively engaging with universities?
- What sectors hold most promise for enhancing private sector investment in the UK? Which current Catapults would be involved in catalysing this investment, and are further Catapults needed?
- What should be the role of the Catapults in increasing R&D investment, including across different regions of the UK??