Healthy reaction to science boost

Health research will be the biggest beneficiary of a substantial increase in science spending over the next three years.

In 2010-11 the government’s new health research fund, combining the resources of the Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health Research, will have a projected budget of £1.7bn – £300m more than this year.

Sir Michael Rutter, vice-president of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: “This substantial increase in funding will position the UK as a world leader in basic medical science and clinical research. It will lead to a step change in UK research capacity - scientists must seize this opportunity with enthusiasm and vigour.”

Other fields of research will receive smaller but still significant increases in funding, as total government spending on science and university research rises from £5.4bn this year to a projected £6.3bn in 2010-11. The overall spending review settlement for science was announced earlier in the year.