MPs are pressing for greater government research

The government should lead by example by increasing departmental spending on scientific research and development, the Commons science and technology committee has said.

In a report into the work of the Office of Science and Technology published on Monday, the committee praised the government for putting science at the heart of the "political agenda".

But it warned ministers that they should lead the way in investment in scientific research.

"The government's science and innovation investment strategy 2004 to 2014 and the spending review that accompanied it are welcome news for the UK scientific community," said the committee's report.

"These developments give science the emphasis that it deserves on the political agenda.

"Nonetheless we recommend that the government ensures that the ambitious targets that it has signed up to as part of the investment framework are genuinely attainable.

"In particular we urge the government to lead by example by increasing the volume of R&D that it carries out within its own departments."

The committee also raised concerns about the government's commitment to increasing the amount that the research councils contribute towards the full economic cost of each research project.

"We commend the government for this step, although we note that the implementation of this new policy will consume the majority of the extra funding allocated to the research councils in spending review 2004," said the report.

"We urge the government to ensure that the total volume of research supported by the research councils does not decrease in the drive towards meeting the full economic cost of that research."