Wired for Success

Four Principles

1. Centrality. The creation of DSIT is a signal in itself, and the Prime Minister has a clear personal focus on technology. But Whitehall drive is still lacking. The National Science and Technology Council has only met sporadically in recent months and lacks the firepower to drive cross-Whitehall delivery, UK investment in science trails our competitors despite rises in the R&D budget, and insufficient steps have been taken to improve the Government’s long-term technology horizon-scanning capabilities. Despite putting a premium on pace, Whitehall bureaucracy still slows down progress: the procurement of exascale compute power is set to go through the Treasury’s lengthy business case process. Proposals for new lab space remain stuck in planning red tape.
2. Choices. The formation of DSIT has been paired with a clear articulation of priority technologies, action plans and funding commitments. Yet big gaps remain. An action plan for engineering biology is yet to be published. The 2021 National AI Strategy is outdated. Funding for semiconductors is far lower than for comparable nations. And there is a lack of clarity more broadly on how the Government assesses foundational technologies and makes decisions on what sovereign capabilities are needed. More concerning still, the Government has not been clear on how it expects to bring together levers and funding from outside DSIT to support its science ambitions. Without an explicit, coordinated approach to driving innovation via industrial strategy too many science and technology policies risk falling short.

3. Coordination. There is now a Science Secretary who has the relevant funding and policy levers in a single department. Cross-government accountability is aided by named Cabinet leads for each of the DSIT framework’s strands of activity. But ensuring other Whitehall departments act with urgency remains a challenge, and the Government has done little to improve its relationship with regulators and the science community. The digital and tech regulation landscape is fragmented, with an apparent disparity between the objectives of the Government and regulators. The Government last provided Ofcom with a “Statement of Strategic Priorities” in 2019, when Theresa May was in No.10. DSIT’s relationship with UKRI and research councils needs urgent reform to ensure projects and places secure the right funding in a reasonable time.

4. Consistency. It remains to be seen whether the Government can avoid the chopping and changing of strategies and plans that have typified recent decades. To stand the test of time, these reforms must be embedded firmly into the structures of Whitehall. The Government must keep up the pace  – taking a series of practical steps in the coming months to ensure that Whitehall can deliver on the science and technology agenda.

The Government has shown that it is willing to make big bets in aid of its science superpower ambitions – it cannot now rest on its laurels. There is a chance for the British state to be uniquely prepared for the technological revolution we are beginning to experience. Ministers must seize it.