1.  This memorandum has been prepared by the Department of Trade and Industry, Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education and Skills to inform the inquiry into the funding for science and discovery centres. It examines:

—  The Government's responsibilities towards science and discovery centres.

—  The role those centres play in achieving the Government's objectives.

—  The policy of Government towards their funding.

INTRODUCTION

  2.  It is vital to our economy and to the country's prosperity that our science base is maintained and developed. Britain as a whole must become a scientifically literate society. A more informed public is needed who better understand both the potential and the limitations of science, and scientists who understand the concerns and aspirations of the public. This involves providing the opportunity for informed debate about the benefits, risks and values of science and its impact in our lives as well as the science itself. Also needed are the right people with the right skills to build a strong science base and the Government is determined to ensure a good supply of scientists, engineers, technologists and mathematicians.

  3.  Key policies and commitments have been set out by the Government in the Science & Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014 and Science & Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014: Next Steps. To reinforce the priorities within this framework, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) cross cutting programme was set up to look for ways to enhance the effectiveness of Government funding in the areas of the flow of qualified people into the STEM workforce and STEM literacy in the population at large. The resulting STEM Programme Report was published jointly by DTI and DfES in October 2006. Its aim is to bring coherence and co-ordination to the initiatives identified during the review, and to address any gaps in policy.

  4.  The Government aims to develop a strong supply of scientists, engineers and technologists by achieving a "step change" in:

—  The quality of science teachers and lecturers in every school, college and university.

—  The results for students studying science at GCSE level.

—  The numbers choosing STEM subjects in post-16 education and in higher education (HE).

—  The proportion of better qualified students pursuing Research and Development Careers.

—  The proportion of ethnic minority and women participants in Higher Education.

  5.  In terms of public engagement, the Government's aim is to foster the conditions for a "knowledge democracy"— where the value of science is both fully recognised and appreciated as underpinning both our continued economic success and improving quality of life for all in the UK—and where more people want to become actively involved in science education and careers, and for effective competition in global fast moving knowledge-based economies. Public engagement is now recognised as key to achieving public appreciation and understanding of the new trends in science and education. DTI`s public engagement with science programme provides a lead in this area enabling and encouraging open, constructive and informed debate on the social, ethical, health, safety and environmental implications of new and emerging science and technologies; and showcasing the contribution that science, engineering, technology and innovation make to the UK's economic, environmental and social wellbeing.

  6.  The Committee's inquiry into the work of science and discovery centres is welcomed, although such centres are just one of many organisations that can play a role in facilitating both STEM educational and public engagement objectives. The Government has always been of the view that it is not going to provide continuing subsidies for unviable science centres. This has been a consistent approach over the last decade.

SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY CENTRES

  7.  Science and discovery centres have been part of the landscape within the UK for at least 20 years, and for most of that time did not receive Government support. Science Centres exist to present science, in its broadest sense, to the general public in an informative and enjoyable manner, making significant use of interactive exhibits, events and workshops. They provide a resource for communicating a wide variety of science issues to schools, families and local communities.

  8.  There are currently around 100 attractions and centres which can be grouped under the science and discovery centre umbrella, and they are represented by Ecsite-UK, which provides their national voice to government. Seventy-five are based in England. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Science Centre policy is the responsibility of the Devolved Administrations, although some public understanding of science programmes, which may impact on science centres, are funded on a UK wide basis.

  9.  This memorandum concentrates on the Government's position in England.

  10.  Between 1999 and 2002, as part of the drive for projects to mark the new Millennium, the Millennium Commission provided £250 million capital funding for the creation of 17 new science centres across the UK, with matched funding from local and regional sources and the European Regional Development Fund. While this did constitute public support, there was no central Government funding at that time, and no expectation of such funding being forthcoming. The Millennium Commission funding for these science centres was provided on the understanding that the science centres would be self-financing within three years. It was made clear at the outset that the Millennium Commission would not and could not provide on-going revenue support to successful bidders.

  11.  However, in 2002, there was a recognition that more funding was needed as those new centres were having difficulties in achieving financial sustainability. ReDiscover, a £33 million renewal fund was launched as a joint venture between the Millennium Commission, the Wellcome Trust and the Wolfson Foundation. It was a capital funding programme designed to enable eligible organisations to refurbish their infrastructure with the aim of adding to the attractiveness of the centres. This was intended to improve the customer experience and encourage more first time and repeat visits, which in turn would improve the revenue generated by the centres. It was a condition of the grants through the Rediscover fund that the Centres concerned were viable, at least within the medium term. ReDiscover supported 55 projects in total.

  12.  Financial sustainability of the network has been a continuing concern since the original Millennium Commission funding. In 2003, following an independent financial review of the Millennium Commission Science Centres commissioned by DCMS with co-funding from DTI and DfES, DfES and DTI agreed to alleviate short term funding problems of certain Centres by providing a joint funding pot of £2 million from 2004 to 2006. A bidding process took place in March 2004, open to those centres who could make the best case for delivering Government objectives on the promotion of science and education and who were likely to be financially viable with short term stabilisation funding. The bids were assessed by an independent panel of science education experts and five centres were successful.

  13.  Ecsite-UK, was set up in April 2001 to raise the profile of science and discovery centres in the UK, and to establish their role as a forum for dialogue between science specialists and the public and as an informal learning resource for learners of all ages. The network is linked to the wider European Ecsite network. The rationale was to develop ideas, structures and resources to support the sustainable development of science and discovery centres, to develop recurrent funding for Science and Discovery Centre programmes, and to raise their profile and quality. DTI supported the start-up of Ecsite within the UK on the understanding that the network would become financially self-sustaining, as clearly stated in the first grant offer letter.

  14.  Aware of continuing financial problems in the sector, in November 2006 DfES and DTI agreed to provide £750,000 grant funding to an Ecsite UK project specifically designed to assess the viability of science centres and help them work together to find new ways of achieving financial self sustainability by stimulating public interest. DfES is providing £250,000 of this funding, and DTI £500,000 from 2006-08.

  15.  Ecsite-UK are conducting the project between November 2006 and March 2008. The project proposal outlined the three key aims, namely to:

—  demonstrate the impact of Science Centres and the added-value they deliver;

—  encourage science centres to work more effectively together, and collaboratively with museums, SETNET, Science Learning Centres (SLCs) and Science Cities; and

—  maximise Science Centres' future financial viability.

  16.  The Government looks forward to the outcome of this project which should provide a benchmarking framework for use by all members of the science centre community.

ACHIEVING THE GOVERNMENT'S OBJECTIVES

  17.  The UK has a large number and a diverse range of institutions devoted to the public understanding of science: including the Royal Institution, British Association for the Advancement of Science, pre-eminent national museums and others.

  18.  While Science Centres provide a resource for communicating a wide variety of science issues to schools, families and local communities, they are just one of many organisations and activities designed to lead to a more scientifically literate society with a greater appreciation of science, and a society which is able to fully capitalise on the benefits offered by scientific and technological developments. They have the potential to play a role in creating an enthusiasm for science amongst young people and the wider public at large, thus potentially helping Government objectives towards achieving the twin goals of: increasing the supply of well-qualified people into the STEM workforce by capturing the imagination of young people who will become the scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians of the future, and help them reach their full potential; and, of increased scientific literacy in the population more widely.

GOVERNMENT POLICY TOWARDS FUNDING OF SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY CENTRES

  19.  The Government has set out its policy commitments in the Science & Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014, Science & Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014: Next Steps in March 2006, and STEM Programme Report in October 2006. The latter sets out three strands; Teacher recruitment and retention, teacher professional development, and enhancement and enrichment actives for students and careers advice. Under these strands, activities have had to be prioritised with limited resource available going to those where the most value will be achieved. Examples include a national network of science learning centres, after school science clubs, and science and engineering ambassadors.

  20.  It has always been the Government's view that it should not provide on-going subsidies for commercially unsuccessful science and discovery centres, not least because this would be unfair on those which have been successful.

  21.  It is for the science and discovery centres themselves to establish whether and how they can be commercially viable. The Government is therefore pleased to see the science and discovery centres creating synergies with other organisations. For example, some are working in partnership with the DfES initiative providing Science Learning Centres in each region, and contributing to the network's Continuing Professional Development Progarmme for teachers. Similarly, several have been involved in the Sciencewise project, "Science Communication Working Lunches" led by the British Association for the Advancement of Science and Ecsite-UK.

June 2007