Cicero Policy Briefer

Issue 20, January 2008

The Government knows what it does not know

By Stephanie Fraser

Much has been made, over the past year, of the Government’s plans to raise the skill levels of the UK population. However, it has been far more reticent about identifying its own knowledge gaps. This was remedied to an extent this week as the Government announced plans to spend £1.3bn on four new research programmes next year.

These programmes will cover the areas of global security, climate change, the ageing process and energy, and are to be run and funded through the UK's seven research councils. The choice of these four research themes marks out with even greater emphasis than previously the Government’s priorities for the future—i.e., the areas in which there is most uncertainty and trepidation in policy development. As highlighted by John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, in his announcement, these subjects cover “some of the biggest challenges we face in this country”.

It is no coincidence, therefore, that the new research line-up will also tie in closely with the legislation currently being developed and pushed through Parliament by the Brown government. Climate change research will support and inform the Climate Change Bill, aging research the second Pensions Bill and the development of personal accounts, and energy research will feed into the Planning and Energy Bill. As for research into global security, this is especially necessary in order to lead to the development of sensible policy to combat the threat from terror, rather than proceeding with the implementation of reactive measures which can be ineffective and even incendiary.

The government is by no means walking blindly in these spheres. Several of these bills have been put in train following extensive independent reviews. The Pensions Bills, for instance, are building on the recommendations of the Turner Review, by no means an insubstantial piece of research which considered the problem of the ageing population and the best way to approach security in retirement. Similarly, the Climate Change Bill is following the ideas and suggestions raised by the Stern Review, completed in early 2007.

However, as all four subjects look to provide the grounding for policy that will be effective for many years into the future rather than tackling an immediately remediable problem, it is especially important that the government takes a far-sighted and responsible approach to information gathering. What the government must not do is devalue the research by cutting it off before each matter is fully investigated purely in order to co-opt the findings into Labour political campaigning for the impending election. The research themes identified will be among the top priorities for the next administration, whichever party takes control of No 10, and the accompanying legislation must be given the best possible chance of success.

Stephanie Fraser can be contacted on +44 (0)20 7665 9531 or click here to email.

Back to main policy briefer