The UK government¡¯s refusal to confirm its commitment to spend ?22 billion a year on research by 2024-25 is a matter of growing concern, a senior Conservative MP has said.

Greg Clark, who chairs the House of Commons¡¯ Science and Technology Committee, said he was increasingly worried by the omission of his?party¡¯s manifesto pledge?from recent official documents, including the Innovation Strategy published in July, ahead of next month¡¯s spending review.

The former science minister has recently sought clarification over the commitment which, according to the 2020 Budget, would represent a ¡°landmark investment¡± and the ¡°fastest ever expansion of support for basic research and innovation, taking direct support for R&D to 0.8 per cent of [gross domestic product]¡±.

However, Mr Clark expressed his disappointment over the response from business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, which failed to directly commit to the ?22 billion pledge and instead quoted the prime minister¡¯s interview with The?Daily Telegraph?in June which referred to the science pledge amount, although not the date.

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¡°The response from the secretary of state provides no comfort that there is not a plan afoot to abandon that very specific promise,¡± said Mr Clark.

¡°If we are to be competitive with other countries it is essential that the government does not renege on its commitment to increase the UK science budget to ?22 billion by 2024-25.¡±

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Mr Clark also published his letter to Mr Kwarteng?, which welcomed the reference to ?22 billion a year but queried why ¡°there was no date attached to that commitment¡±.

¡°It would be a paradoxical and retrograde step if a new Innovation Strategy, designed to advance the UK¡¯s status as a ¡®science superpower¡¯, had downgraded the government¡¯s commitment to invest in science and innovation during this Parliament,¡± says Mr Clark in the correspondence.

Mr Kwarteng¡¯s?declines to formally confirm the 2024-25 deadline for delivering the increased spending, stating that while the government would deliver ¡°record public investment¡± in science, the exact timing of this funding would be decided by the Treasury.

¡°At the next spending review the government will set out its plans for future investment, including R&D,¡± says Mr Kwarteng, adding: ¡°You will appreciate that the timing and scope of the next spending review is a matter for HM Treasury.¡±

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Mr Clark said he intended to raise the matter of the Conservative spending pledge ahead of the spending review, which is scheduled for 27 October.

¡°Ahead of the Budget next month, the committee will hold a special session to hear what would be the consequences of the loss of this commitment for science, research and innovation as we seek to recover from the pandemic,¡± he said.

jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com