The Multi-level Governance of Science Policy in England

Abstract

Perry B. (2007) The multi-level governance of science policy in England, Regional Studies 41, 1051–1067. This article outlines contemporary changes in the governance of science policy in England and assesses the recent emergence of regional science policies. The early 2000s have been marked by substantial sub-national mobilization, representation and institutional creation through the regional science and industry councils. Complementary policy functions have developed at national and regional levels and cracks in national state control have appeared, especially in light of the strengthening relationship between science and economic development. A minimal system of multi-level governance has emerged, but one which enshrines and protects previous policy paradigms. The significance of recent sub-national developments is limited by governance structures, frameworks for action and dominant policy discourses which combine to constrain the development of strategies for regional and local science-based growth.

Perry B. (2007) La gouvernance à plusieurs niveaux de la politique de science en Angleterre, Regional Studies 41, 1051–1067. Cet article cherche à esquisser les derniers changements de la gouvernance de la politique de science en Angleterre et à évaluer la naissance récente des politiques de science régionales. Sur le plan infra-national, le début des années 2000 a été marqué par une importante mobilisation, représentation et création institutionnelle par moyen des conseils pour la science et l'industrie régionaux. Des fonctions de politique complémentaires se sont développées sur les plans national et régional, et on commence à déceler des fêlures dans le contrôle de l'Etat, surtout à la lumière du renforcement du rapport entre la science et le développement économique. Il s'est fait le jour un système minimal de gouvernance à plusieurs niveaux qui embrasse et protège les paradigmes de politique antérieurs. L'importance des derniers développements infra-nationaux est limitée par les structures de gouvernance, par les cadres pour l'action et par les discours de politique dominants qui se combinent pour contraindre le développement de stratégies en faveur de la croissance régionale et locale basée sur la science.

Gouvernance à plusieurs niveaux Politique de S et T Développement économique Régions Grandes villes Angleterre

Perry B. (2007) Regierungsführung auf mehreren Ebenen für die Wissenschaftspolitik in England, Regional Studies 41, 1051–1067. In diesem Artikel werden die aktuellen Veränderungen in der Leitung der Wissenschaftspolitik in England untersucht, und es wird die in letzter Zeit erfolgte Entstehung von regionalen Wissenschaftspolitiken bewertet. Die ersten Jahre nach der Jahrtausendwende waren von einer umfangreichen Mobilisierung, Vertretung und Institutionsgründung auf subnationaler Ebene durch die regionalen Wissenschafts- und Industrieräte geprägt. Auf nationaler und regionaler Ebene sind ergänzende politische Funktionen entstanden, während sich auf der Ebene der nationalen staatlichen Kontrolle Risse auftaten, insbesondere im Hinblick auf die gefestigte Beziehung zwischen Wissenschaft und Wirtschaftsentwicklung. Es hat sich ein minimales System der Regierungsführung auf mehreren Ebenen entwickelt, wobei allerdings die bisherigen politischen Paradigmen bewahrt und geschützt werden. Eingeschränkt wird die Bedeutung der jüngsten subnationalen Entwicklungen durch die Strukturen der Regierungsführung, die Rahmen für Maßnahmen und die vorherrschenden politischen Diskurse, welche zusammengenommen die Entwicklung von Strategien für ein wissenschaftsgestütztes Wachstum auf regionaler und lokaler Ebene behindern.

Regierungsführung auf mehreren Ebenen Wissenschafts- und Technologiepolitik Wirtschaftsentwicklung Regionen Städte England

Perry B. (2007) La gobernanza multinivel de la política científica en Inglaterra, Regional Studies 41, 1051–1067. En este artículo describo los cambios contemporáneos en la gobernanza de la política científica en Inglaterra y evalúo el desarrollo reciente de las políticas científicas regionales. Los primeros a ños del siglo XXI han estado marcados por una importante movilización, representación y creación institucional a nivel subnacional a través de consejos regionales de carácter científico e industrial. A niveles nacionales y regionales se han desarrollado funciones de políticas complementarias y han aparecido fisuras en el control estatal nacional, especialmente a la vista de la relación consolidada entre el desarrollo científico y económico. Ha surgido un sistema mínimo de gobernanza de varios niveles que no obstante conserva y protege los paradigmas de políticas anteriores. La importancia de los recientes desarrollos subnacionales está limitada por las estructuras de gobernanzas, coyunturas para acciones y discursos de políticas dominantes que se combinan para limitar el desarrollo de las estrategias para el crecimiento regional y local de carácter científico.

Gobernanza multinivel Política científica y tecnológica Desarrollo económico Regiones Ciudades Inglaterra

Keywords:

• Multi-level governance
• Science and technology (S&T) policy
• Economic development
• Regions
• Cities
• England

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Tim May, Michael Harloe and Simon Marvin for comments on earlier versions of this paper.

Notes

1. The support of the ESRC Science in Society Programme is gratefully acknowledged. Award numbers L144250004 and RES-151-25-0037.

2. The Office for Science and Innovation is the new name for the Office for Science and Technology, renamed in 2006. It manages the seven disciplinary Research Councils in the areas of arts and humanities, biotechnology and biological sciences, engineering and physical sciences, economic and social sciences, medical research, natural environment and particle physics and astronomy. The eighth research council is the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils which will merge with the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council in April 2007 to form the Large Facilities Research Council. The OSI is not a Government department; it falls under the Department for Trade and Industry.

3. The first RAE was in 1986, introducing an explicit and formalized assessment process of the quality of research. Further exercises were held in 1989, 1992, 1996 and 2001. The next RAE is in 2008 and will differ from previous rounds as a result of a recent review (led by Sir Gareth Roberts) but nonetheless retains expert review from discipline based panels as the mechanism for assessing research quality. Discussions are still underway on the potential movement to a more metrics-based system. The RAE is managed by the Higher Education Funding Council in England, the Scottish Funding Council, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and the Department for Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland.

4. The Government Offices are the primary means through which a wide range of government policies are delivered in the English regions. They represent ten national government departments in the regions and also offer those departments' views from the ‘bottom-up’ on policy development and implementation. The nine Government Offices are coordinated centrally by the Regional Coordination Unit.

5. The Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire, North West England, is one of two scientific facilities run by the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CLRC). In 1980 the world's first Synchrotron Radiation Source (SRS) was opened at Daresbury and over the course of the next 20 years, most of the UK's expertise in the production and exploitation of synchrotron radiation became concentrated in the North West region. The second facility under the control of the CLRC is the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) in Oxfordshire in the South East. In 1999 the UK government announced its decision to replace the SRS with a third-generation light source, the DIAMOND synchrotron, that would be the biggest single investment in UK science infrastructure for 15 years. The DIAMOND concept had been developing over years at Daresbury and the preliminary feasibility study was based on the new SRS being located at Daresbury alongside the existing facility. But since the original funding decision in 1993, policy contexts, funding coalitions and even the science itself had shifted. As a result, rather than automatically locate the new facility at the Daresbury Laboratory or hold up the process further through an open competition, a choice emerged between the two laboratories under CLRC control in Oxfordshire and the North West.

6. The North West Science Review was announced by the Minister for Science and chaired by Dr Bruce Smith, the then Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council. Its remit was to spend the £25 million top-sliced money on research projects in the region that were subsequently allocated to the relevant research council's portfolio. The North West Science and Daresbury Development Group was established by the Secretary for Trade and Industry to look into the future of the science base more widely. No funding was allocated for this latter partnership.

7. Research Councils UK is the strategic partnership of the eight research councils.