Cash for 'premier league' scientists

Better salaries could be backed up with new equipment

A £4m drive to reverse the "brain drain" of scientists leaving Britain and to persuade the "stars" of science to stay has been launched.

Under the scheme, the salaries of 50 selected science academics could be topped up to around £100,000 a year.

We don't just want to stop a brain drain, we want to see a brain gain and to make this an attractive place for scientists to come to from all over the world

Lord Sainsbury

Better salaries may also be accompanied by money for research assistants and new equipment, as well as better working conditions.

The government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Bob May, compared the world of science to the world of international football: "This is an attempt to be more competitive and recruit the David Beckhams of science," he said.

'Brain gain'

The package, announced in a Science White Paper, follows increasing concern over the loss of some of the UK's brightest scientists.

Most of them are attracted to more lucrative posts in the US.

Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers said: "There is global competition for scientists and we have to ensure we're in the premier league."

Science Minister Lord Sainsbury said the government was not just intent on "stopping the brain drain", but wanted to "see a brain gain, and to make this an attractive place for scientists to come from all over the world".

He said there was a new mood in UK universities which valued highly scientists, particularly entrepreneurial scientists.

Brighter future

The Royal Society-backed initiative will be funded jointly by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Wolfson Foundation research charity, which are both contributing £2m.

There is global competition for scientists and we have to ensure we're in the premier league

Stephen Byers

A source from the scientific community involved in the plan said: "They might be people who are very bright scientists who have moved to another country, such as the US, and who we want to attract back, or they could be excellent bright people in the UK system who one would want to persuade to stay."

Universities currently pay professors a minimum salary of £35,000 to £40,000. Lecturers earn less.

The initial £4m will provide funding for a year, but the aim is to renew the scheme in subsequent years.

Spending boosts

The White Paper also set out allocations for the 7% annual increase in science funding over the next three years announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

A Higher Education Innovation Fund worth £140m would create better links between universities and the world of commerce, and help small firms exploit research.

A sum of £250m would boost research into key "frontier" areas, including genomics, nanotechnology and bioengineering.

The plans also include an annual £50m Regional Innovation Fund to support "clusters" of science-related projects and businesses, and encourage collaboration between scientists, entrepreneurs, managers and financiers.

A Small Business Research Initiative would be introduced to encourage more hi-tech small firms to develop research capacity.

Dr Peter Cotgreave, of the Save British Science society said: "The government has admitted that researchers are paid poorly, and it has made a small start towards doing something about it.

"SBS is fed up of spurious arguments that there is no evidence of a problem in recruiting and retaining the best people in science."