Sir Jim McDonald FREng FRSE, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, says of the departmental changes:
“Innovation is the life blood of the economy and engineering innovation in the UK is world class. The creation of a dedicated Department for Science, Innovation and Technology demonstrates the seriousness with which the government is pursuing its Science Superpower and Innovation Nation ambitions. This signals welcome government support for the integral role that engineering, science, and innovation continue to play in delivering economic growth and building a more secure, resilient, inclusive and prosperous society. We have engineering innovation to thank for so many advancements that have shaped our lives today, and it is particularly exciting to see government highlighting the value of this innovation on the day we are set to announce the winner of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, which champions bold, groundbreaking engineering innovation which is of global benefit to humanity.
“Cabinet level leadership on both science and innovation, and for energy security and net zero, is a significant step in the right direction in enabling the many opportunities that investment in these critically important areas can offer for economic advancement right across the UK, and for tackling complex global challenges such as climate change. Nonetheless, I hope this reshuffle will not prevent science and energy policy from working in tandem with a clear, long term, industrial strategy, and from other policy areas that necessarily intersect with it. If we are to reach net zero emissions by 2050, it is essential that we continue to take a joined up approach across government departments, see these challenges from a whole system perspective and work collaboratively across the public and private sectors, and with academia, to deliver a strong and secure low-carbon energy system. Without this integration we stand to lose both economic benefits and necessary progress towards environmental sustainability.”
