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Introduction
1. The Scottish Executive published its first integrated Science Strategy In August 2001. The Strategy strongly underlined the view that science is crucial to underpinning and growing the knowledge economy envisaged by A Smart Successful Scotland and the Framework for Economic Development in Scotland. The Strategy set out a range of high level policy aspirations and a more detailed set of short and long term action plans, including establishing the Scottish Science Advisory Committee under the auspices of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
The need for a revised strategy
2. In February 2006, we published A Science Strategy for Scotland 2001: Progress Report. The report indicated that good progress has been made on most objectives and that Scotland is growing a modern, knowledge-based economy in many areas. Collaboration and joint working between the various parts of the science research base have increased significantly. However, progress has not been uniform and competitive pressures have intensified.
3. For a number reasons we need now to update the strategy:
- The science landscape has evolved within Scotland, the UK and internationally, with new funding and investment opportunities in areas of science that were beyond the horizon five years ago
- Many of the commitments and actions in the original strategy have been achieved and others have been superseded
- "Innovation" needs to be brought in to the strategy as an equal partner to science, as it has at a UK level, in order to maximise synergy in policy-making between these two key economic drivers.
- Many stakeholders consider that the original strategy did not address several key areas where science has a major part to play - in particular quality of life issues and environmental sustainability
- The definition of science in the strategy was thought by many to be too narrow
- All areas of devolved policy need to be fully embraced by science and innovation policy
- The Scottish Science Advisory Committee, formed under the Strategy, has contributed a range of advice to the Executive which needs to be reflected in an updated Strategy
- The appointment of an overall Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland within the Executive, who took up post in August this year, will also provide new opportunities for co-ordinating science strategy in Scotland
The progress report included a section which rationalised and updated the commitments from the original Strategy, and proposed a series of long term aspirations that were likely to form part of the new strategy, together with a set of shorter term action plans. As part of the current consultation we are asking respondents to comment on these long term aspirations and action plans and to consider what further ones may need to be added.
Development of this consultation paper
4. This consultation paper has been developed with guidance from a group of key stakeholders (Annex A), and also reflects long-established commentary on the existing strategy. This paper is intended to encourage debate and discussion, and is not a draft of the strategy. This will be developed once the responses to this paper have been analysed.
5. Seven themes have been identified under which the strategy will be developed. Many of these themes are overlapping and this consultation process will allow identification of synergies and priorities as well as potential delivery mechanisms.
6. The stakeholder group considered that the consultation should ask general questions about how the strategy themes should be developed beyond the aspirations and actions proposed in the original Strategy and in the Progress Report earlier this year.
What will the new strategy look like?
7. We envisage that the strategy will be a high level, succinct, stand-alone document, and will set out the Executive's principles and aspirations in the medium to long term. As part of future development, this high level strategy document will be underpinned by specific delivery plans setting out how the themes will be implemented and their impact and success measured. These delivery documents will be owned by a wide range of users across the Executive and will dovetail with existing strategy documents in Environment and Rural Affairs Department and Health Department.
Impact assessments
8. The Executive has a statutory obligation to conduct a Strategic Environmental Assessment on any new policy, and best practice also indicates the need for Regulatory and Race Impact Assessments should we believe that our policies will affect these areas. Responders to this consultation are therefore invited to comment on the possible impact under these three headings of any proposals they make for new policy.
Strategy or Framework?
9. This consultation refers to our intention to produce an updated "strategy". However, the stakeholder group considered that it might be better termed a "framework" if the updated strategy, like the existing strategy, does not prioritise the Executive's expenditure on science. While this seems the most likely outcome, it is presently too early to judge what the content of the updated strategy will be. We shall take a view on the titling of the document once this becomes clearer.
Definition of Science and Innovation
10. We do not intend to limit the terms "science" or "innovation" in future strategy to a particular set of disciplines or areas of the economy. "Science" should therefore be taken to include all activity in the pursuit of systematic knowledge which benefits, or is likely to benefit, the economy or society in some way. Similarly innovation should be taken to include all activity that is designed to introduce new products or processes, including those in the service sector.
A Science and Innovation nation
11. Figure 1 shows the main players in a science and innovation nation; how they relate to one another in broad terms and lead to benefits for the economy and society. A major aim of the updated strategy will be to enhance connectedness between the elements in this system, and so build a virtuous circle of growth.
FIGURE 1 A SCIENCE AND INNOVATION NATION
Context and background
12. This consultation assumes that the reader has access to the original Science Strategy document 1 and the Progress Report in 2006 2 - additional hard copies can be provided on request from the contact details at the end of this report. The latter document in particular sets out the most up-to-date overall context in Scotland for responding to this consultation. The text therefore sets out only an overview of the main issues, and notes any significant developments since the Progress Report.
13. Other relevant texts are the UK Government's Science and Innovation Investment Framework: 2004-20143, and the follow up report Next Steps4 published in March 2006.
What happens next?
14. In addition to asking for written submissions, we are intending to discuss the strategy with various stakeholder bodies. We shall also seek opportunities at appropriate science-related events to encourage discussion on this issue. We shall analyse these various contributions and produce a draft updated strategy which we hope to be able to issue before the Scottish Parliamentary elections in May 2007. Given this timing it is unlikely that there will be time to consult widely on the draft, but we shall at a minimum consult our key stakeholder group. It would therefore be most helpful if you could make as full a response as possible at this stage.
What we need you to do:
13. Please consider the Consultation Questions below and respond by 5 January 2007.
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