We presented 33,804 signatures to Downing Street on Thursday 14 October. The petition is closed for now.
We the undersigned petition the Government to recognize that science is vital and to not reduce science funding.
Science investment in the UK is a crucial driver of our economy. It supports first-rate facilities and excellent technical expertise, and is overwhelmingly concentrated on world-class research. Cutting investment risks putting all this in jeopardy — especially at a time when our competitors, such as the US, China, Germany, and France, are increasing their science funding.
The UK has a proud history of scientific excellence, and produces over 10% of global scientific output with only 1% of the global population. We will increasingly have to rely on our intellectual capital to be competitive in the 21st century. Re-balancing our economy into one that is focused on science and engineering, and that can solve forthcoming challenges in energy, medicine, infrastructure, computing – as well as satisfying the drive for new knowledge – must be a priority for the nation.
We therefore call on the Government to recognize that science is vital, and to lay out a supportive strategy for UK science and engineering, maintaining a level of investment at least in line with economic growth. To do otherwise is to risk an unprecedented scientific crisis.
