Research and Development Statistics (Kirsty Williams AM )

Cymraeg
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Kirsty Williams AM <info@kirstywilliams.org.uk>

Research and Development Statistics

November 24, 2006 2:16 PM

Welsh Liberal Democrat Enterprise, Innovation and Networks spokesperson, Kirsty Williams, has expressed her concern that business enterprise research and development (BERD) expenditure in Wales is failing to compete with the rest of the UK.

BERD expenditure in Wales in 2005 was £231million, making up just 1.7 per cent of the UK total. Expenditure in Wales remained unchanged in real terms from the previous year, despite increasing in six of the eleven other UK regions.

Ms Williams said: "If Wales makes up 5 per cent of the UK population, but less than 2 per cent of research and development expenditure, then it is punching well below its weight. Other regions are experiencing growth in R+D expenditure; Wales is not. This time last year, I said I was concerned that Wales was in the bottom three UK regions for R+D spend, and challenged the Government to make sure Wales would not still be lagging behind in 12 months time. I am extremely disappointed that nothing has changed. The EIN Minister must start to tackle this issue, and look at how he is going to encourage Welsh business and HE to invest in our economic future."

Notes:

· Statistics on research and development expenditure were released today, and are available from the statistics section of the Welsh Assembly Government website (http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/?lang=en). Of the 12 UK regions, only the North East (1.2%) and Northern Ireland (1%) contribute less to the UK total for R+D expenditure.

· When the same statistics were released this time last year, Ms Williams issued a press release expressing her concern at figures for Wales which were near identical to those released today.