Written question WQ84457

We have made significant progress against the recommendations of the 2017 Reid review. We have established the London Office to ensure Wales has a platform and link to decision-makers and UK research community there. We have delivered on the recommendation for an innovation fund – £15m has been allocated through this in 2021-22, alongside £88.3m for quality research (QR), which is above the £71m level recommended by Reid.

The 2017 Reid recommendations relate to the expectations for distributing and replacing EU funding at that time. Welsh Government recognises the importance of RD&I to Wales but, given UK Government’s changes to the Internal Market Act and control of UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we have had to respond to the anticipated reduction in expected funding and related previous commitments.

The UK Government continues to operate with insufficient engagement with Devolved Governments. It is essential we secure funding levels at least equivalent to those we received historically via the EU to address historic underfunding from both competitive and non-competitive UK investment sources.

Work is underway to develop, with Welsh partners, a new cross-government Innovation Strategy. In devising the strategy, we will focus innovation effort towards recovery and growth. Professor Reid’s review is one source of evidence which will inform this work, however our priorities and focus have, out of necessity, also evolved, taking into account current funding constraints.

We will continue work with UKRI and Innovate UK and are committed to growing research and innovation with increasing emphasis on RD&I closer to market and aligned with Wales’ industrial, business and societal needs. We are working with HEFCW to develop plans to support increased high quality bidding to UK Government and charitable sources of research and innovation funds. We recognise the opportunity for improvements through the RDI Landscape Review and are engaging with Sir Paul Nurse’s review team.