The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 1 Feb 2021 Closed: 28 Jun 2021 Parliament page
The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) awards support for research and development projects under the four themes of the government’s Industrial Strategy: clean growth, the ageing society, the future of mobility and artificial intelligence & the data economy. It constitutes a significant part of a government commitment to spend £4.7 … Read more
9 Recommendations
12 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
3 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 6 events
23 Nov
2021
Correspondence
10 Sep
2021
Correspondence
2 Sep
2021
Report published
30 Apr
2021
Report published
22 Mar
2021
Correspondence
4 Mar
2021
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
4 Mar 2021
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Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund
Jo Shanmugalingam · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser DBE FRS · UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Sarah Munby · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifty-Sixth Report - Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund HC 941 30 Apr 2021 21 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Not Addressed
Fifty-Sixth Report - Industrial St…
We are not convinced that UKRI’s and the Department’s approach to intellectual property generated by...
We are not convinced that UKRI’s and the Department’s approach to intellectual property generated by the Fund adequately protects taxpayers’ interests. Taxpayer funding invested through the Fund creates a ‘bridge’ between pure research investment and commercial development. There will potentially … Read more
Government Response
The government's response addresses unrelated issues concerning the identification of clinically extremely vulnerable people and NHS data strategy, completely failing to address the recommendation for UKRI to re-examine its intellectual property approach for the Fund.
HM Treasury
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3 Recommendation Not Addressed
Fifty-Sixth Report - Industrial St…
The Department has not yet made clear how it will make sure the UK will...
The Department has not yet made clear how it will make sure the UK will meet the target to spend 2.4% of its GDP on R&D by 2027. The government has a target to 6 Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund increase … Read more
Government Response
The government response discusses local variation in the Shielded Patient List and future analysis, which is unrelated to the recommendation about the UK's R&D spending target.
HM Treasury
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6 Recommendation Not Addressed
Fifty-Sixth Report - Industrial St…
The elongated time taken by the Department and UKRI to provide funding to successful bidders...
The elongated time taken by the Department and UKRI to provide funding to successful bidders risks putting off businesses from applying for the programme. It took UKRI, the Department and HM Treasury 72 weeks to select and approve the challenges … Read more
Government Response
The government's response provides only introductory text and lists relevant reports, failing to address the recommendation for the Department, HM Treasury, and UKRI to outline plans for speeding up approval times for challenges and projects.
HM Treasury
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4 Conclusion Not Addressed
Fifty-Sixth Report - Industrial St…
The Department has five objectives for the Fund, to: • increase UK businesses’ investment in...
The Department has five objectives for the Fund, to: • increase UK businesses’ investment in R&D, while also improving R&D capability, capacity and technology adoption; • increase multi- and inter-disciplinary research; • increase engagement between academia and industry on targeted … Read more
Government Response
The government response does not address the committee's item regarding the objectives of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, instead discussing the delivery of shielding support to clinically extremely vulnerable individuals.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 21 of 9 classified
Accepted 9
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 4
Rejected 3
Total 9 recs + 12 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
23 Nov 2021 Correspondence from Sarah Munby, Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, re Fifty-Sixth Report of Session 2019-21: Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), 3 November 2021
Parliament page
10 Sep 2021 Correspondence from Sarah Munby, Permanent Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, re Fifty-Sixth Report of Session 2019-21: Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), dated 29 July 2021
Parliament page
22 Mar 2021 Correspondence from Sarah Munby, Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, re Response to the Committee regarding 04 March Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Public Account Committee hearing, dated 18 March 2021
Parliament page