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Science facilities protected from funding cuts

Victoria WaltonOxfordshire political reporter
News imageJames Singleton The cylindrical doughnut-shaped Diamond Light Source at night. A blue beam shoots up from its centre into the sky.James Singleton
The Science and Technology Facilities Council says the Diamond Light Source, at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, remains operational.

An Oxfordshire science laboratory has said it will continue its research despite a shortfall in funding.

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) operates from its base at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, and is funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

The government has announced funding will be moved away from the STFC over the next four years, leaving a budget gap of £162m due to rising running costs.

But a spokesperson for RAL said the facilities at Harwell had been prioritised and "remain operational", with cuts instead being made through "efficiency savings".

News imageA sign reads "Welcome, Harwell". It is yellow, blue, white and black and positioned on the ground.
Harwell Science Campus is home to world leading scientific research

It comes as concerns have been raised by MP for Didcot and Wantage, Olly Glover, over the impact of the STFC budget cuts.

In a letter to the secretary of state for business, innovation, science and trade, Glover warned the move would threaten world-leading scientific research and job opportunities for young people.

"Ultimately, our scientific leadership on the world stage, higher education sector and skills pipeline are all currently at risk of being irreparably damaged. Now is the time to prevent that from happening," he said.

But according to the STFC, the RAL projects at Harwell remain operational, including Diamond Light Source, ISIS Neutron and Muon Source and the Central Laser Facility.

An STFC spokesperson said its budget would reduce by 15% over the next four years "through making efficiency savings in how STFC operates the three major facilities on behalf of the UK".

They added that the organisation was making "deliberate choices to prioritise critical research capability".

A government spokesperson said: "We are not cutting the STFC budget: it is remaining flat over the course of the current spending review.

"To ensure we can drive research that delivers real impact for the public, we are funding R&D at record levels, including £38.6bn invested in UKRI over the coming years."