Technology foresight : first report. Volume II, Minutes of evidence and appendices / Science and Technology Committee.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology
Date:
1995
Catalogue details

Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Technology foresight : first report. Volume II, Minutes of evidence and appendices / Science and Technology Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/204 (page 8)
    24 October 1995] [Continued - 40. We recommend that action to address the various regulatory issues identified by panels as influencing the competitive scope of sectors should be taken forward by the DTI Deregulation Unit and relevant Government Departments. The recent Deregulation Act should assist in obtaining a responsive follow-up. 41. We recommend that the increasing and welcome involvement of women in scientific research i is recognised and encouraged where possible. 42. We recommend that further research be undertaken into the factors which led firms to locate their intellectual and strategic headquarters in particular countries, and to understand better the factors which create new clusters of business activity (such as Silicon Glen in Scotland) which could underpin a future strategy for attracting inward investors. 43. We recommend that further research be undertaken to understand the managerial and financial approaches to the containment of business risks associated with innovation. 44. We recommend that the Council for Science and Technology address the issue of the strategic framework for research in the UK: the roles of different forms of research support and organisation .. . and the infrastructures which their work requires. 5.15 Infrastructural Issues. A variety of bodies were invited by the Steering Group to address a diverse range of infrastructural issues (recommendations 39-44). As already noted, the Whitehall Foresight Group has been set up to co-ordinate Government action on infrastructural issues. Some of these issues are clearly more complex to address than others—for example, skill deficits in IT competence—and will require careful co-ordination by Governmental and professional bodies which have complementary roles to play in bringing about useful results in this area. Other recommendations may require further discussion before specific work can be initiated. 5.16 The Steering Group’s recommendation to encourage the involvement of women in science (recommendation 41) was quickly responded to by Government. Ministers announced a doubling of the Government’s contribution to the Dorothy Hodgkin fellowship scheme, which aims to encourage post-doctoral scientists to stay in science (90 per cent of applications for this fellowship scheme are made by women). In addition, the Development Unit on Women in SET (OST) and Opportunity 2000 will shortly be producing a brochure about the business benefits of retaining women in scientific posts. THE PRIVATE SECTOR 45. We recommend that indigenous and inwardly investing companies in this country be treated equally with respect to Foresight involvement, diffusion and implementation. 46. We recommend that companies of global excellence located in the UK be underpinned by a public sector SET infrastructure. 47. We recommend that every company in the top 1,000 companies be targeted to become fully involved in Foresight, both within the company and as part of the national programme. 48. We recommend that Panels develop targets for R&D intensity in the sectors by reference to world competitors, and together with trade associations and other bodies, publicise the targets compared with actual performance widely in their sectors and amongst key decision makers. 49. We recommend that mechanisms be established whereby large companies with extended supplier chains convene Foresight groups to address mutually beneficial future areas for enhanced collaboration, needs, likely markets and technology trends. 50. We recommend that the Association of Independent Research and Technology Organisations (AIRTO) supported by Government should be invited to diffuse Foresight findings to SMEs in their sectors. 51. We recommend the appointment of leading industrialists to serve as “Foresight Champions”, liaising with the Foresight Panels, with the relevant industrial base, and importantly with relevant professional organisations. The specific remit of the “Foresight Champions” should be to foster dissemination and implementation. 52. We recommend that existing DTI schemes for supporting industry be sustained and expanded, for example SMART, SPUR and the Teaching Company Scheme.