RSC responds to Chancellor’s Spring statement

The Chancellor’s Spring statement, setting out the Government's latest fiscal position, further underlines the importance of supporting the chemical sciences and the central role they play in driving UK economic growth.

From life sciences and defence to clean energy, chemicals and advanced manufacturing, chemistry skills and innovation remain fundamental to the Industrial Strategy and our place in the world, underlining the Chancellor’s focus on the importance of working with international partners in uncertain times. The UK’s ambitions to expand nuclear capacity, secure critical minerals and strengthen its scientific base all depend on a highly skilled chemical sciences workforce. 

Achieving this starts with ensuring every young person receives an excellent chemistry education. Government must continue to invest in the chemistry teaching workforce to address ongoing shortages and protect high quality, practical science learning. While the Chancellor’s reference to substantial new support for SEND pupils and enabling young people to gain apprenticeships is welcome, we look forward to seeing further detail. Further to the full budget statement last year, the absence of additional school funding risks undermining investments in teacher development and pupils’ access to hands on laboratory experiences. 

Universities are a vital pipeline for chemical science talent, equipping graduates with the practical, digital and sustainability skills needed across priority sectors. Yet higher education faces growing financial pressure, intensified by measures limiting international students. We want to see commitments to multi year UKRI funding and support for the excellent discovery led research in our HE institutions, driving the UK’s strength in world leading chemical science innovation. Closures of chemistry courses threaten the supply of skilled scientists and technicians, whilst we also need more accessible technical and apprenticeship routes into the profession. 

The wider chemicals sector continues to face structural challenges – stability, long term planning and coordinated policy are needed to support sustainable chemicals and materials, resilient supply chains, improved regulation, and the development and retention of expert researchers, technicians and innovators. 

At a time of financial strain across universities and many chemistry dependent sectors, we will continue to work constructively with Government to ensure that following today’s statement we further strengthen the UK’s skills base, research capability and regulatory environment. With targeted investment and coherent strategy, the UK must fully harness the chemical sciences to deliver growth, sustainability and economic resilience.