Research Council Institutes (RCIs) form an important part of the UK science base. They make a unique contribution in terms of providing national capacity and access to facilities and in developing multidisciplinary science driven by a clearly-defined mission. The RCIs often come into their own at times of emergency due to the ability of their Directors to respond to changing demands, especially from the Government.

RCIs vary widely in their structure, governance, facilities, size and objectives. It is right that they should be encouraged to work closely with universities and other research partners and in some cases they benefit from even closer integration, but it is not necessary for all RCIs to be wholly embedded within HEIs.

In order to pursue their missions, RCIs need guaranteed, long-term core funding, which they may then top up with other grants and commissioned research.

There needs to be more co-ordination of policy needs between those who have a direct interest in the work and health of RCIs and also greater co-ordination of policy towards RCIs on the part of the Government and the Research Councils and more responsibility taken for their sustainability.

In particular, Defra must address the difficulties caused by its failure to agree on the RIPSS agenda and by its decisions and indecisions on funding and research priorities.

Restructuring of institutes is inevitable and can be desirable but it can also be problematic and needs to be handled sensitively. We discuss the experience of three current restructuring projects—those involving the Roslin Institute, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the National Institute for Medical Research—and recommend improvements to the process.

Our overall conclusion is that OSI needs to take on a greater role in this area. We recommend that the OSI monitor the state of national research facilities and the skills base within the RCI sector and that it examine mechanisms for identifying and providing guaranteed funding for nationally important datasets and long-term monitoring activities. We also propose that the OSI should be given formal responsibility for improving dialogue between Government departments and the RCI sector and the Research Councils and for intervening where departments are not fulfilling their responsibilities under RIPSS.