{
  "id": 8210030,
  "title": "Royal Society slams UK.gov science shake-up",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/royal-society-slams-uk-gov-science-shake-up",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-18T08:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Register Science",
    "slug": "the-register-science",
    "url": "https://www.theregister.com/public-sector/2026/09/18/royal-society-slams-ukgov-science-shake-up/5296913"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The president of the Royal Society, Sir Paul Nurse, has criticized the UK government's decision to transfer science policy from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST). In a statement to MPs, Nurse argued that this move is a significant mistake, as science transcends business and should be closely integrated with other sectors such as health, defense, transport, energy, and the environment.\n\nNurse, a genetics researcher, believes that concentrating science solely within business could limit its potential impact on various aspects of society. He emphasized the importance of integrating AI, which he sees as a branch of science, with other scientific disciplines to foster creativity and generate appropriate technologies. Nurse expressed concern that the current approach may stifle the integration of science and AI, which he believes is crucial for the future of the country.\n\nFurthermore, Nurse criticized the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for not giving science the attention it deserved. He highlighted the issue of civil servants being overly focused on business objectives, making it difficult to prioritize science. Nurse stressed that this problem lies not only with leadership but also with the departmental structure itself, as it currently allocates only one policy area to science out of nine.\n\nAlicia Greated, executive director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, echoed Nurse's concerns during a hearing with the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee. While acknowledging the connection between science and health, Greated pointed out the lack of connection between science and the Department for Education, which oversees universities and higher education. She emphasized the importance of maintaining stability in funding, strategy, and policy for science and called for a more long-term perspective.\n\nGreated also expressed fears that science may be deprioritized, affecting not only research and development but also skills, infrastructure, and ideas that feed into the entire innovation pipeline. In response, ministers from the Cabinet Office, BIST, and the DCMS defended the changes, stating that the government is reorganizing itself to become a stronger engine for driving economic growth across the country. They emphasized that science and technology cannot be treated as isolated issues, given the unprecedented global changes the UK faces.",
  "summary": "Whitehall changes a 'big mistake' as anything going in with Business department gets squeezed",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Register",
        "title": "Royal Society slams UK.gov science shake-up",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/royal-society-slams-uk-gov-science-shake-up-8212730",
        "published": "2026-09-18T08:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}