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Press Release 5 October 2007 TSB welcomes Sainsbury Review

New investment in Research & Development announced.

The Chairman of the Technology Strategy Board today welcomed the publication of the Sainsbury Review of the Government’s Science and Innovation policies, saying that it provides “significant opportunities”.

Welcoming the Review’s publication today, Dr Graham Spittle said “The Review positions the Technology Strategy Board at the centre of the Government’s support for technology and innovation in the UK. This will provide us with additional significant opportunities to drive forward innovation in the UK and a leadership role to ensure greater co-ordination of publicly funded technology and innovation activities, for the benefit of UK business and society.” He added “We look forward to considering the Review’s recommendations further and to discussing their implementation with Government and stakeholders.”

Commenting on the Government’s decision to allocate additional funding to the Technology Strategy Board, which was announced at the same time as the review’s publication, Dr Spittle said “This is excellent news as it provides additional capability for us to build on the work that has already been started in the UK”.

Meanwhile, the Technology Strategy Board is backing new research and development in areas of innovation such as bio-science, healthcare, energy efficiency and low carbon technologies with extensive new investment.

This follows the decision by the Board, which promotes the research, development and exploitation of technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, to invest £42 million to support 75 new R & D projects being undertaken by UK-based companies.

All the projects will see UK-based businesses working together or with academic partners and research organisations to develop technologies and innovations needed for the products and services of the future. The diverse range of R&D projects includes:

• Biosensors for the pre-screening of leukaemia patients;
• A “virtual anatomy” surgery training system;
• Image analysis technology to measure the progression of osteoarthritis;
• Self-powered wireless vision system for security and road monitoring;
• Long-distance 3D face recognition equipment;
• Stand-alone machinery for recycling waste paper at the workplace.

Speaking about the projects to be funded, Technology Strategy Board Chief Executive, David Evans, said “We were very impressed with the number and quality of the project proposals submitted, and by the clear enthusiasm of British businesses to work in collaboration with other businesses and Universities and research institutions.” He added “The Technology Strategy Board is strongly business-focused. By investing in business-led research, the government is supporting innovation that will be of commercial value and that will increase economic growth”.

Businesses were invited to bid for the funding late last year. The new research and development work will add to the Board’s portfolio of over 600 projects across 40 technology areas with a combined business and government investment worth over £900m.

Notes to Editors

Lord Sainsbury was commissioned by Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, as part of the 2008 Comprehensive Spending Review, to undertake a review of the Government’s Science and Innovation policies. His report is being published today (Friday 5 October).

The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the government. Its mission is to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve the quality of life. It is sponsored by the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).

The Technology Strategy Board’s collaborative R&D programme is investing directly in new and emerging technologies and has been designed to help businesses work with each other or with academic partners to develop technologies that will underpin products and services of the future. Since 2004, the programme has supported over 600 projects across 40 technology areas with a combined business and government investment worth over £900m.

For further information visit http://www.berr.gov.uk/innovation/technologystrategyboard or contact:

Nick Sheppard
Media Relations Manager
Technology Strategy Board
Tel: 01793 442772
Mob: 07824 599644
E-mail: nick.sheppard@tsb.gov.uk