Government

STFC is part of UK Research and Innovation in the UK under the direction of the Department for Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

BEIS is responsible for UK science policy and for funding basic research through the research councils. See also the Management Statement and Financial Memorandum.

Key facts

Parliament monitors and influences our work through its Select Committees and the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The Select Committees most relevant to STFC are:

• House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology (link opens in a new window) - This is the committee with the most direct interest in STFC's work. It oversees the work of the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the research councils, the Council for Science and Technology (link opens in a new window), the Royal Society (link opens in a new window) and Royal Academy of Engineering (link opens in a new window).
   
• Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee (link opens in a new window) - This replaced the House of Commons Business and Enterprise Committee Select Committee from 2009 - This committee's role is to examine on behalf of the House of Commons the expenditure, administration and policy of the BEIS and associated bodies.
   
• House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts (link opens in a new window) - It is this committee's job to make sure that STFC and other public bodies spend government money correctly and wisely.
   
• House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology (link opens in a new window) - This committee has a broad remit "to consider science and technology". It has a parallel interest to the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology.

A number of other parliamentary bodies take an interest in our work. They include:

• Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (link opens in a new window) - The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology provides both Houses of Parliament with independent analysis of public policy issues related to science and technology. Its aim is to inform parliamentary debate.
   
• Parliamentary and Scientific Committee (link opens in a new window) - This committee provides an interface between Parliament and the scientific community. It has members from both Houses of Parliament and from not-for-profit scientific and technological organisations including STFC.
   
• Parliamentary Ombudsman (link opens in a new window) - (also known as the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration) carries out independent investigations into complaints about UK government departments and agencies such as the research councils with the aim of improving public services.

The STFC also has close working relationships with the following bodies:-

• Science and Engineering Base Co-ordinating Committee - This committee addresses scientific and engineering issues that cross boundaries between government departments. It is chaired by the government's Chief Scientific Adviser and includes representatives from the Education Departments, the Director General of the Research Councils, the Chief Executives of the Research Councils, and the Chief Executives of the Higher Education Funding Councils.
   
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office Science and Technology Unit - STFC works with this unit and its scientific attachés to identify opportunities and shape collaborations with researchers from other countries.
   
• The (MoD) - STFC and the MoD often have a common interest in advanced technologies. We meet with them regularly to coordinate collaborative research.
   
• The Higher Education Funding Councils (HEFCE) - The Higher Education Funding Councils for England, Scotland and Wales are another source of funding for universities in their region. We work with them to coordinate support for scientific and technical research that’s relevant to our charter.
   
• The Regional Development Agencies - especially through their involvement in the science councils.
   
• The Innovate UK - which was set up to drive forward the Government’s Technology Strategy

The STFC also either works with or provides funding for:

• The Department of Health (DoH) - The STFC's concordat with the DoH (PDF - 64kB - link opens in a new window) is a legacy agreement with PPARC, before the STFC was formed, and was transferred upon the merger of PPARC and CCLRC. The agreement declares that where there are complimentary roles or an overlap of interests between the two organisations, they will mutually cooperate to take maximum advantage of respective skills and experience.
   
• UK Space Agency (link opens in a new window) (UKSA)
   
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
   
• Sensors Knowledge Transfer Network (Sensors KTN)- The Sensors KTN is sponsored by the STFC.
   
• Innovate UK (link opens in a new window)
   
• Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partner - The STFC is a participant in Innovate UK's Knowledge Transfer Partnership
   
• Royal Society of Edinburgh (link opens in a new window)