LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson
said he would lead a new drive to capitalise on scientific and
technological breakthroughs made in Britain with a programme to
direct research into areas that will benefit the public good.
Johnson will chair a group set up to "provide strategic
direction on the use of science and technology as the tools to
tackle great societal challenges, level up across the country
and boost prosperity around the world", his office said.
Seeking strategic gains for post-Brexit Britain, the plan
looks to build on the success of the country's coronavirus
vaccine programme and identify other areas where the research
and development sector can benefit from government funding.
“From discovery to delivery, our vaccination programme has
proven what the UK can achieve at scale and at speed," Johnson
said in a statement.
“With the right direction, pace and backing, we can breathe
life into many more scientific and technological breakthroughs
that transform the lives of people across the UK and the world."
The government's Chief Scientific Adviser, Patrick Vallance,
will head a new public body whose role will be to implement the
strategy.
Beyond COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, Britain wants to
use its research capability to secure some of the economic
benefits of a shift toward greener technology, although
competition from other nations is intense.
The majority of research and development spending in Britain
is funded by the private sector, and overall investment in 2018
was 1.731% of GDP according to Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development data - below the 2.419% OECD
average.
Since leaving the European Union, the government has
announced plans to increase its spending on R&D.
It plans to invest 14.9 billion pounds ($20.58 billion) in
2021/22, rising to 22 billion by 2024/25, and has committed to
raise total R&D investment to 2.4% of economic output by 2027.
($1 = 0.7242 pounds)
(Reporting by William James
Editing by Mark Heinrich)