Science & Technology.

Conservative & Labour

Liberal Democrats
Britain is failing to make the best use of its technological and scientific resources. As a result Britain is falling further behind its major competitors.

The causes of Britain's decline include:

  • Elitism in the British academic tradition.
  • Poor training of management and workforce.
  • Short termism on the part of industry and its financiers.

Under the Conservatives, the proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) spent on science declined from 0.35% to 0.28%. The 1993 White Paper on Science, Engineering and Technology completely fails to tackle the key issues of industrial innovation, development and production.

The Labour of the 1970's promised to invest in new technologies, yet its vehicle for doing so, the National Enterprise Board rapidly turned into a hospital for lame ducks, such as British Leyland.

 

 Liberal Democrats are committed to creating an economic environment in which competition can flourish and a government that provides support for innovation and R&D (Research and Development). We advocate:
  • Maths and science to be made an essential element of education for all, up to and including sixth form levels of education.
  • A commitment to increase funding for basic science research to 0.35% of GDP immediately.
  • Measures to encourage long term thinking, with incentives to invest in research, development, design, education and training.
  • A reduction of at least 50% in real terms in spending on military R&D, the savings to be injected into the civilian R&D budget.
  • The establishment of a Cabinet committee chaired by the Prime minister to give high priority to implementing this programme.

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