CST meeting summary, 22 and 23 September 2021
Published 30 November 2021
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Attendees
Attended:
- Patrick Vallance
- John Browne
- Julia Black
- Muffy Calder
- Saul Klein
- Ottoline Leyser
- Suranga Chandratillake
- Max Lu
- Dervilla Mitchell
- Paul Newman
- Brooke Rogers
- Paul Stein
- Susannah Storey (Day 2)
- Fiona Murray
- Chris Bishop
- Philip Bond
- Jim Hall
- Anne Johnson
- Nick Stern
- Jim McDonald (Day 2)
- Jo Shanmugalingam
- Josh Fleming (Day 2)
Apologies:
- Charles Roxburgh
- Philip Duffy
- Adrian Smith
Guests:
- Stephen Barclay, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
- Alan Newby, Director of Aerospace Technology and Future Programmes at Rolls-Royce
- Irene Graham, CEO, Scale-up Institute
- Judith Hartley, British Patient Capital & British Business Investments
- Sherry Coutu, Entrepreneur/Investor and founder of Scale-up Institute
- Gabriel Caillaux, General Atlantic
- Takahiro Ueyama, Executive Member, Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, Cabinet Office, Japan
- Alex van Someren, Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security
Day 1
1. Paul Stein and Alan Newby, Rolls Royce, presented Council for Science and Technology (CST) members with an overview of the advances in propulsion, including science and engineering challenges for sustainable aviation and opportunities for reducing carbon emissions in other sectors. Members discussed the implications and identified areas of relevance for current CST work.
2. A panel of invited guests gave short presentations on the challenges for scaling up and retaining science and technology companies in the UK. Participants highlighted the importance of access to skills, talent and markets for shaping decisions on where companies seek investment. The discussion focussed on the issues that influence private investment and decision making in the financial sector.
3. Stephen Barclay, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster provided members with an update on government priorities.
Day 2
4. CST members received a presentation from Dr Takahiro Ueyama, Executive Member of Japan’s Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, on Japan’s sixth Basic Plan for science and technology. Members discussed common challenges for UK and Japan and potential areas for collaboration.
5. The Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security, Alex van Someren, updated members on his priorities.
6. Members noted activity to follow up recent advice to the Prime Minister on net zero, health and UK’s position as a science superpower. Members approved final edits to advice on improving availability of finance for innovative companies.
7. Members received a presentation on a recent review of the Council’s impact, discussed success factors and confirmed changes to ways of working.
8. Members proposed ideas for future advice and agreed to develop these topics for discussion at the CST meeting in December 2021.
CST Secretariat
September 2021