Submission to the Comprehensive Spending Review

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07 September 2015

In the context of continuing austerity the priority of any deficit reduction plan is balanced and sustainable economic growth.

Our submission sets out the opportunities for building a resilient economy and creating highly-skilled jobs that come from investing in world-class research, innovation and higher education. The positive impacts would be felt immediately and continue to deliver across the country for decades to come.

The Russell Group submission to the Comprehensive Spending Review calls on the Government to:

Strengthen the pipeline for growth and jobs by increasing investment in excellent science, research and innovation, boosting this as a proportion of GDP;
Continue to ring-fence the science and research resource budget and maintain the dual support system – ensuring the UK can compete internationally;
Underpin future growth by ensuring research-intensive universities are properly funded to deliver excellent education, including in high-cost STEM subjects.

Our universities continue to work efficiently and maximise returns on public investment. However, any further cuts to funding would be entirely counterproductive for the long-term health of the economy and risk losing the UK’s competitive advantage.