Royal Society slams UK.gov science shake-up

The president of the prestigious Royal Society, Sir Paul Nurse, has criticized the UK government's decision to move science policy from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. The move came after Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak created the DSIT in July, shortly before Andy Burnham became Prime Minister.

As a result, the Science Department's responsibilities were split between BIST and the Department for Health and Social Care, with no Cabinet role assigned. In a statement to MPs, Sir Paul Nurse argued that science cuts across multiple sectors and should not be relegated to the business department. He believed that AI is a critical part of science and that relegating it to business could stifle its potential.

Nurse also noted that previous attempts to merge science with other departments had not yielded positive results. The Campaign for Science and Engineering, led by executive director Alicia Greated, echoed Nurse's concerns. She highlighted the importance of connecting science with education, particularly universities and higher education, and expressed fears that the current departmental priorities may deprioritize basic research.

The government defended the changes, stating that they aim to create a stronger, more strategic center to drive economic growth across the country, including in AI and science.