What are the threats to the UK’s role as a global science leader?
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee will hold the first evidence session of its inquiry into Science Diplomacy, assessing the range of threats facing the UK’s international reputation and capabilities in science.
This inquiry will investigate the role of science diplomacy and R&D in supporting UK’s international influence and national security. This evidence session will provide an overview of the issues to cover in the rest of the inquiry.
Meeting details
In the first panel, the cross-party committee will hear from experts at the Wellcome Trust and UCL on the UK’s position and reputation globally as a leader in science, the impact of recent cuts to UK development funding on this, and about migration and the STEM skills pipeline. Questions may also explore the impact of cuts to US science on the UK, as well as how geopolitical shifts have affected international science collaboration.
Following this, MPs will hear from experts at RUSI and RAND Europe on threats posed to the UK by hostile actors developing dual-use technology, about the UK’s cyber resilience, and about security threats in the space domain. The Strategic Defence Review and AUKUS are also likely to be discussed.