£200 million boost for cutting-edge science

Cutting-edge scientific research in the UK will receive a £200 million boost on Wednesday when Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond unveils in Spring Statement in the House of Commons.

Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire to recieve £81 million

Among the projects to benefit from extra funding will be the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, which will receive £81 million for a project to develop laser technology to help understand how materials react in different environments, such as when a replacement joint is inserted in the human body.Last week, it was announced that the Harwell Campus had also secured £110 million funding from Santander Corporate & Commercial to further expand the science and innovation hub.Mr Hammond will tell MPs on Wednesday that additional funding was necessary to help the UK retain its "pole position" in technological innovation as the country prepares to leave the EU.

Edinburgh to win funding for new super computer aiding medicine, climate science and aerospace

The government, whose industrial strategy commits the nation to increasing R&D investment to 2.4 per cent of GDP, will also devote £79 million to develop a new, national 'super-computer' in Edinburgh.The computer, which will have a capability five times greater than currently available, will be used for a variety of research programmes, including medicine, climate science and aerospace.

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Research into genetic diseases at Cambridge  

Additionally, Mr Hammond will announce a further £45 million for genetic research in Cambridge aimed at sequencing an unprecedented one million genomes and exploring innovative cell therapies to tackle genetic diseases."UK scientific research is worth £36 billion and is at the cutting edge of international innovation and discovery," according to the chancellor."We want to retain pole position as we leave the EU, and the announcements I make next week will ensure we maintain our competitive advantage."These investments will support innovators across the country to make the breakthroughs that will push biotechnology, medicine, science and aerospace forward."

Mr Hammond to address environment issues in Spring Statement

Mr Hammond will also use his Spring Statement to set out a series of measures intended to protect the environment and promote biodiversity.The measures will include a global review of the economic benefits of biodiversity - intended to identify measures that both enhance eco-systems and promote prosperity - and a call for evidence on how best to conserve and promote natural environments in the UK's overseas territories, from Antarctica to the Caribbean.Mr Hammond is also expected to announce a study focusing on the expansion of carbon offsets to all UK passenger carriers as part of the drive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ministers are also said to be looking at 'future-proofing' all newly constructed homes to ensure they have low carbon heating and high standards of energy efficiency.Subscribe to Relocate Extra, our monthly newsletter, to get all the latest international assignments and global mobility news.Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online Directory

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