Buro Happold expert responds to Vince Cable’s ‘science, research and innovation’ speech

08/09/2010

Practice welcomes continued support for research following its warning on tax breaks and support for students

Colin McKinnon, innovation leader at UK-based international multi disciplinary engineering consultancy Buro Happold, said: “We welcome today’s speech by Vince Cable outlining support for high end science and engineering research and innovation aimed at the big challenges society faces.

“Whilst it is clear that funding cuts more generally will be unavoidable in the current financial climate it makes sense to focus expenditure on areas where the UK research base leads the world.

“Issues such as moving to a low carbon economy, dealing with climate change and a rapidly urbanising population are areas where the UK research, science and engineering communities can come together to offer solutions based on ever closer collaboration and partnership working.

“In the engineering sector, our skills are in high demand around the world given our experience and knowledge of tackling many difficult problems. In large part, our strength in this area comes from a steady supply of top class science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates and close research and development (R&D) links to leading centres of knowledge.

“This will be helped by exploring ways to extend collaboration across geographical borders – historically a difficult area to manage given the lack of transnational funding mechanisms outside of Europe.

“We also welcome the commitment to extend business-led funding schemes such as the Technology Strategy Board as they have proved a highly effective method of ensuring innovative ideas residing within industry are given a helping hand to develop and grow.”

Following the Budget Buro Happold warned that its continued investment in R&D would be under threat if tax breaks were slashed.

Since 1998, through the Happold Trust, the practice has granted over 200 student scholarships and work experience. As recently as June the Trust awarded 23 new annual scholarships and work placements for environmental and engineering MEng students, with Buro Happold also currently backing 22 PhD and Eng D students. Both programmes involve universities such as Bath, Cambridge and Imperial College London.

Buro Happold stated that tax incentives should be maintained for R&D focused on sustainability-related disciplines because scientists and engineers are critical to solving society’s biggest environmental challenges, the benefits of the sector to the wider economy are well proven and the sector is already reeling from the twin effects of a shortage of skills and increased international competition amid the worsening commercial environment.

Colin McKinnon said: “We are dedicated to innovation, but that depends on R&D to discover next generation methods of design and construction and new types of building materials – of the kind that are critical to the UK if it is to meet its international obligations under the Climate Change Act. R&D-based innovation is a critical factor in our UK-based business being able to win high profile and ground breaking projects in different sectors on the world stage.”

Beyond tax breaks, Buro Happold also argued for the continuation of the Technology Strategy Board’s funding for business-led innovation and sector-focused initiatives, which have been highly effective in bringing businesses together to tackle common challenges – including an initiative for ‘low impact buildings’.

It also urged for the continuation and extension of the ‘Small Business Research Initiative’, a scheme which aims to use Government procurement to drive innovation, given that buying power is a proven catalyst for change in areas such as climate change and sustainability – an example is the ‘Energy Efficient Whitehall’ programme, which is seeking out new ways of reducing both the footprint and running costs of the Government’s estate.

Finally, Buro Happold argued for an extension of existing schemes that make it more feasible for companies to sponsor PhDs. Without Government support, via the research councils, the cost is often prohibitive, making it difficult for businesses to develop closer links with leading academic research groups.