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Government renews its commitment to Daresbury Science and Innovation campus

DEPARTMENT FOR INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS News Release (035/009) issued by COI News Distribution Service on 26 March 2009

John Denham launches new national hub for Chemistry on site

The Government today announced a renewed commitment to the further development of the national Science and Innovation Campus at Daresbury and announced a stronger leadership structure to deliver it.

This commitment was made in the Government's response to the Manchester Independent Economic Review (MIER) on Daresbury published today. The Review was originally commissioned by John Denham the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills. It says there are three challenges that must be met if the true potential of the Daresbury campus is to be realised. It argued the leadership of the campus needed to be strengthened, more universities should get involved and that Daresbury should be the location for the next scientific project of a major size.

In the Government response published today it welcomed the Review and in particular:

* Announced that a new joint-venture company will be created to direct work towards a single vision to secure Daresbury's future as a national Science and Innovation Campus of international importance. It will include a new 'Science Champion' to chair a new Advisory Group, inform the future Joint Venture and help attract to Daresbury's research programme the best scientists from around the country and the world.

* Called on all relevant research councils and additional research intensive universities, not just those in the North West, to exploit the opportunities the Campus offers them.

* Renewed the Government's commitment to ensure that the facilities located at Daresbury are "internationally competitive, support world class science and maximise the opportunities for knowledge transfer". The response therefore calls on the Campus to build the breadth of science that is located at the site to put it in 'pole position' to benefit from any future big science project.

In keeping with the Government's strategic 'vision' for Daresbury, published as part of the response to the MIER Review, the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, John Denham will launch the Knowledge Centre for Material Chemistry at Daresbury later today. The KCMC will operate in collaboration with key partners at the Universities of Bolton, Liverpool and Manchester. It will help the campus become an international hub for research in an area of science that is crucial in delivering new products and improvements in areas such as bio-medics, pharmaceuticals and renewable energy sources.

John Denham said:

"It is highly appropriate for this new chemistry hub to include Daresbury. It fits well with our ambition for the campus to be a major science and innovation centre of national and international importance.

"This ambition has now been endorsed by the independent review that has been published today and I am enormously grateful for the all the work that those involved in this review were able to put in.

"I welcome the report and I am delighted to say that the Government will play its part in meeting the challenges it sets head on.

"We will help create a strong leadership structure that can champion the campus at home and abroad. We will encourage more research intensive universities - not just those in the North West - to play their part.
"And we will commit to help develop a critical mass of basic research at Daresbury to ensure that it is in a good position to benefit from 'big science' projects if there is a scientific agreement they should go ahead.

"The Daresbury heritage is synonymous with some of the very best science that has been carried out here and across the world. I believe that by working together we can ensure its future can be equally bright and strong."
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Notes to editors:

1. The Manchester Independent Economic Review on Daresbury is available on (insert web address). The Government response is available on http://www.dius.gov.uk/~/media/pubs/R/ResponseToDaresburyReview

2. For more information on the Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry contact Sarah Moston in the NWDA press office on 01925 4000552.

3. Government recognises the need for continued scientific investment at Daresbury. This investment needs both to broaden the range of the Campus's scientific interests and build upon existing expertise. A number of steps have already been taken to implement this, including a number of new large facilities where support from the Large Facilities Capital Fund (LFCF) is already being actively considered, :-
* The Cockcroft Accelerator Science and Technology Research Centre has been established at Daresbury, involving co-located researchers from STFC, Manchester, Liverpool and Lancaster Universities.

* The Government has earmarked £50M from the (LFCF) to develop the Hartree Centre in computational science and engineering, which will involve the Science and Technology Facilities Council, UK Universities, other Government Departments and industry. The Business Plan for Hartree is currently being prepared.

* The Government has also earmarked £15M of LFCF funding to support Daresbury's key role in a new Detector Systems Technology Gateway centre, which will drive forward collaborative research in next-generation detector systems.

4. For media enquiries only, please contact the DIUS press office on 0203 300 8881.