Volume 1

The impact of spending cuts on science and scientific research : sixth report of session 2009-10.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology
Date:
2010
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: The impact of spending cuts on science and scientific research : sixth report of session 2009-10. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    facilities being shared between multiple institutions.'*° That recommendation was rejected by the Government on the grounds that encouragement would more likely come across as imposition.! 71. During our inquiry, we were told by Professors Les Ebdon and Steve Smith that universities were giving serious consideration to the sharing of back-office facilities, but were hesitant to do so because of VAT impediments.'*? We put the universities’ concerns over VAT and sharing services to the Minister, who told us that he was looking at it in the context of discussions with the Treasury ahead of the Budget.'*’ We urge the Department to press the Treasury to make it easier and more financially viable for universities to collaborate and cut costs where they can. 140 Science and Technology Committee, Eighth Report of Session 2004-05, Strategic Science Provision in English Universities, HC 220-l, Ch. 6 141 Science and Technology Committee, Second Special Report of Session 2005-06, Strategic Science Provision in English Universities: Government Response to the Committee’s Eighth Report of Session 2004-05, HC 428, p 18 142 Q 190 [Professor Les Ebdon]; Q 214 [Professor Steve Smith] 143 Q 291 [Rt Hon David Lammy MP]