1.  The BioIndustry Association (BIA) welcomes the Science and Technology Select Committee's Inquiry into the International policies and activities of the Research Councils.

  2.  The BIA is the trade association for Innovative enterprises In the UK bioscience sector, representing over 300 members, the majority of which are Involved In making the human health benefits that bioscience promises. The BIA seeks to represent the Interests of these Innovative companies to all Parties to present positive, evidence-based suggestions for policy change that mist a healthy UK bioscience sector and benefit the UK as a whole.

  3.  The BIAs interaction with the Research Councils comes primarily via the activities of our member companies, many of whom are active at the cutting edge of bioscience research, both In the UK and beyond.

  4.  We have respond to those questions posed by the Committee that we feel best placed to answer. Unfortunately due to the large number of Inquiries and consultations currently being undertaken, we have not been able to respond as fully as we would have liked.

The strengths and weaknesses of existing Research Council and 081 mechanisms and activities to maintain and promote International collaboration

  5.  The BIA is aware of positive examples such as Edinburgh University's collaboration with Stanford in the USA, the partnership between the University of Cambridge and the MIT in Massachusetts plus various FP6 projects.

  6.  In the bioscience field, it is the BIAs experience that much international collaboration takes place in a fluid and an unmapped manner. Key academic and clinical investigators will often have relationships and contracts with key global players in the bioscience and pharmaceutical Industry. Because this is driven by the private sector, much of it is not catalogued.

  7.  There is much to be positive about For example, the BBSRC runs a number of exchange' programmes where Individuals from either Industry or academia can get involved Including undertaking secondments and we would state unreservedly that we have been Impressed with how the work of flu BBSRC's International Relations Unit has promoted International collaboration. It attempts to promote International links at the policy level and between Individual scientists to make the most of new scientific opportunities, and to explore ways of sharing knowledge and technology for mutual benefit. It inks to do this by:

—  Promoting contacts within the International science community;

—  Providing advice on opportunities Rise and funding sources for collaboration;

—  Supporting International visits to foster links between countries;

—  Contributing to International science policy; and

—  Identifying sources of scientific expertise in BBSRC-funded Institutes and universities[65].

  8.  The BIA supports what has been achieved to date and we would welcome any way in which opportunities could be shared morn effectively and promoted to the private sector. We believe that more could be done to ensure that Information on and dissemination of opportunities and successes to the private sector take place more effectively. Engaging with industry is key; we believe there is willingness to do this, but the right people need to be in place to ensure this happens.

International collaboration through the EU Framework Programmes including resources enhancing partnership between the Research Councils and European agencies in the new Framework 7 Initiative and the provision of resources to stimulate UK participation in international programmes

  9.  The BIA would wish to draw the Committee's attention to the regrettable fact that that the amount of financial input to support the national contact point has been decreased such that the incumbents (Beta Technology) are now reliant on leveraging support with companies including our Members. The amount of available finance to support the Framework 7 nations contact points has In effect been decreased, such that the incumbents (of which them are a number representing key sectors interests for the UK) are now reliant on leveraging support from other stakeholders including trade associations in order to engage directly with the private sector. We view this as a hindrance to improving UK SME performance within Framework programmes (current statistics available from Framework 6 indicate that there was only circa 18%UK SME representation, compared to circa 52% from the academic community).

  10.  We would wish to stress that it is the view of the BIA that the Innovation Relay Centre network provides very valuable and high quality support and resource to companies seeking partners for programmes under the Framework 7 initiative.

  11.  One of the most important points that the BIA would wish to stress to the Committee. is that there are mal challenges to be dealt with in terms how Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) access EU sponsored research funding opportunities. In particular with regard to making it easier for application forms to be completed, reducing bureaucracy and increasing the rewards by speeding up and increasing the size of payments to encourage participation. This is an area where we feel Research Councils may be able to focus on in more depth in coming months.

  12.  The BIA would draw the Committee's attention to the recent comments by Malcolm Wicks MP, Minister for Science and Innovation, on accessing research funding:

"Getting involved In the Framework Programme is not, I know this, a straightforward undertaking. Unfortunately the programme does have a reputation for being bureaucratic and each programme brings with it a host of new challenges, as well as increased competition for funding."

  13.  The BIA hopes that this is an area in which the Research Councils will be able to focus on and show leadership over the coming period, particular with how it affects SMEs.

The impact of the Research Councils' policies on the International mobility of scientists and engineers

  14.  We have seen some successes, for example through the Framework 7 initiative BIA Members have received support via the welcome "people" platform where funding has been provided to investigator driven research projects across all fields, carried out by Individual teams in European competition and managed by a European Research Council (ERC).

  15.  BIA Members have benefited from so called "Marie Curie" actions aimed at promoting the mobility of researchers and we have been grateful for the emphasis given to Industry-academic transfers. More could be done and the BIA would happily play its part In Increasing uptake.

April 2007