People and skills in UK science, technology, engineering and mathematics
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will hold the first evidence session of its new inquiry: People and skills in UK science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
The Committee will hear from Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, CEO at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Harry Anderson, Policy Manager at Universities UK, and Professor Maggie Dallman OBE, Vice President (International) and Associate Provost (Academic Partnerships) at Imperial College London. The Committee will also hear from experts in immigration policy: Professor Sir Robin Grimes, Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society, Joanna Hunt, Head of Immigration at FieldFisher, and Raj Mann, Director of Global Immigration at Vialto Partners.
The Government’s aim of increasing the share of GDP spent on R&D to 2.4% by 2027 will require a workforce with suitable STEM skills as well as teachers able to train the next generation of researchers. The Committee will seek witnesses’ perspectives on the effectiveness of the UK’s visa system and associated schemes, such as the fast track for winners of prestigious prizes, as well as their views on any skills gaps that need filling. In particular, the Committee is interested in how the UK’s immigration system compares to that of other countries and what improvements could be made to increase the UK’s competitiveness.
The Committee will explore the obstacles to those with STEM skills seeking to move to the UK, including the costs of doing so, and whether there is any evidence that these have led to a “brain-drain” from STEM fields. The Committee will also seek evidence on what, in light of the possibility that UK will not be able to associate with Horizon Europe, needs to be part of the talent offer component of the Government’s so-called “Plan B”.
Meeting details
Possible question areas
- Lessons the UK can learn from steps taken by other countries to attract and incentivise STEM talent
- The challenges faced by scientists and those with STEM skills seeking to move to the UK
- The adequacy of the Government’s Plan B in the event of the UK not being able to associate with Horizon Europe
- Current STEM skills deficits and what could be done to address them
- How the UK visa schemes compare internationally, and what it can learn from other countries.