Written question asked by Zöe Franklin (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 23 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 25 March 2026. It was answered by Kanishka Narayan (Labour) on Tuesday, 31 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Astronomy and Space: Finance
- Question
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To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with the Science and Technology Facilities Council on proposed reductions to funding for astronomy and space science; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of such reductions on (a) the UK’s international standing in these fields and (b) early career researchers.
- Answer
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The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed a record £58.5 billion investment in R&D over the next 4 years. This includes £38.6 billion allocated to UKRI. The overall Government spend on R&D over the next 4 years is £86 billion.
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) within UKRI has a flat budget across this period and is currently working with the sector to model different spending scenarios for its overall portfolio including in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics (PPAN). The impacts of different modelled scenarios across the broad and diverse range of STFC-funded facilities and programmes will be considered alongside feedback from the sector when taking final decisions. The current level of post-doctoral researchers and flow of PhD students will be maintained across the SR period.
DSIT has asked UKRI to ensure that its specific investment decisions are informed by meaningful engagement with the scientific research community and a robust assessment of potential consequences for the UK’s scientific capability, research institutions and international standing.
Secondary information
- Type
- Written question
- Reference
- 123095
- Session
- 2024-26
- Subjects
- Finance Astronomy Space
- Link
- View this Written question on www.parliament.uk
Librarians' tools
- Timestamp
- 2026-03-31 17:31:07 +0100
- URI
- http://data.parliament.uk/writtenparliamentaryquestion/commons/2024-26/123095
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