The UK is falling behind its competitors in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem), according to
a
report by a Conservative Party
taskforce.
The taskforce, set up by Tory leader David Cameron, has proposed
a series of measures to tackle the problems of ineffective funding
of science and innovation, the lack of research that will lead to
commercial products and services, and the need to train, retain and
attract skills within UK education and industry.
The report makes several key recommendations, including the
smarter use of the government's £150bn procurement budget to better
support innovation and the creation of a new single government
department for science and innovation to raise the status of
science and engineering.
The taskforce found that despite the fact that the UK was often
a leading global player in information technology and that trade in
UK IT services had grown at twice the rate of all trade since 1997,
there was still cause for concern.
The number of students registering for IT courses had fallen by
46% between 2001 and 2005, the report said. It also highlighted
that an international study of UK ICT in 2006 had found an
"alarming" lack of interest and enthusiasm in ICT for students at
all levels in education. The report said the IT sector was also
affected by the shortage of graduates in maths and physics.