Articles and Speeches

Britain’s ‘eye on the sky’ saved from Government cuts

Wednesday, 9^th July 2008.  Press Release

Responding to the news that Jodrell Bank may have survived Government cuts to British astronomy, Shadow Science and Innovation Minister Adam Afriyie said:

"Jodrell Bank is an icon of British astronomy, and with the pressure on Government finances I am delighted that it may now have a bright future as Britain’s eye on the sky.

 

"Unfortunately, the Government's £80m science budget shortfall leaves many less well known facilities in dire straits, and ministers must accept responsibility for the cutback in astronomy grants that jeopardises the future of space science in this country."

ENDS

Contact details:

afriyiea@parliament.uk

020 7219 8023

Notes to editors
1. Following a ‘flat cash’ budget settlement in December 2007, the Government forced the newly-formed Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which is responsible for funding UK astronomy, to enter its first full year of operations with an £80 million shortfall, putting the future of Jodrell Bank at risk.

2. In February 2008, STFC announced a 25% reduction in new commitment on research grants over the next three years.  For astronomy, ‘STFC’s published delivery plan envisages that the number of [post-doctoral research assistants] supported in 2011 will be 11% below the 2005 level’.

http://www.scitech.ac.uk/About/Strat/Council/CouncilNews010208.aspx

3. Speaking in the House of Commons on 7th July, Adam Afriyie outlined the astronomy programmes which STFC would not be able to fund:

“Despite the celebration about the saving of Jodrell Bank and one or two other headline facilities, we must not forget what will disappear, and I will quickly put some of those projects on the record. Astronomy has been hit quite hard. AstroGrid, which is developing an open-source eye on the sky, will lose funding. Support for the Birmingham Solar Oscillations Network and the Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit will go. The STFC aims to sell 50 per cent of the UK's observing time in Gemini.”

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080707/debtext/80707-0019.htm#08070749000053

4. Reports on 9^th July 2008 suggest that Manchester University and STFC have agreed a plan to secure the future of astronomy at Jodrell Bank.

Contact Details:

Telephone: 020 7219 8023

Email: afriyiea@parliament.uk