Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser has quizzed the First Minister on the level of research funding for Scottish Universities in the event of independence.
Scottish universities draw a disproportionate amount of money from UK research councils, taking 14.7% of total funding despite Scotland’s population being only 8.5% of the UK’s.
Chamber exchange attached below:
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on how an independent Scotland would maintain research funding for universities. (S4F-01440)
The First Minister (Alex Salmond): University funding is not exactly the Conservative Party’s strong suit today. In The Daily Telegraph only yesterday—I know that Murdo Fraser reads it every day; I must confess that the article was pointed out to me—there was an extraordinary piece that showed the financial pressure on universities in England as a result of the collapse in student numbers that has been caused by the Conservative Party’s policy on tuition fees.
In contrast, Scottish universities are in a strong financial position and Scotland has maintained a world-leading position on research quality. We have four universities in the top 200. We are committed to maintaining that research funding and excellence in an independent Scotland.
Of course, unlike Murdo Fraser’s colleagues south of the border, we have demonstrated our commitment to university research. Most recent, just two weeks ago we announced an additional £13.7 million for key, world-leading research.
Murdo Fraser: We have 8.5 per cent of the United Kingdom population but our universities win 15 per cent of UK public and charitable research funding. A host of figures and bodies have expressed concern that the situation could be put at risk by independence, among them Professor David Bell of the University of Stirling, the Royal Society of Edinburgh, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and Professor Louise Richardson, principal of the University of St Andrews. Professor Richardson said:
“If we were cut off from national research councils, it would be catastrophic for this institution”.
Without guarantees from the First Minister about the future funding of research in our universities, surely our academics would be better to conclude that we are better together.
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“The Scottish Government has been dodging this question for too long, Alex Salmond was first posed this question nearly 2 years ago and he still doesn’t have a plausible answer.
“The SNP claims everything will be revealed in their magical ‘white paper,’ the people of Scotland deserve better than this and need real answers to what are legitimate concerns.
“Scottish Universities earn nearly 17% of UK funding for medical research, but do so because they are in the UK, without that status they would not receive a single penny.”
ENDS