NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

13 JULY

Research, Science and Technology

Foundation for Research, Science and Technology Act 1990

Statement of Science Priorities for Public Good Science and Technology: 1996/97 to 2000/2001

The Minister of Research, Science and Technology (hereinatter called “the Minister”) is required under the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology Act 1990 and as subsequently amended, to “... advise the Foundation of the priorities that the Foundation shall adhere to in carrying out its functions ...” in the allocation of funds for the production of public good science and technology outputs.

This advice is to be conveyed to the Foundation via this formal statement and its associated appendices.

This statement covers the five year period from the financial year 1996/97 to the financial year 2000/2001. However, it may be supplemented or modified as and when circumstances warrant.

Strategic goals for New Zealand science

The Government believes that decisions on the funding of public good science need to be made in the context of clearly defined strategic goals. These goals are intended to supplement rather than replace those set out in previous priority statements. Goals applying in previous priority statements which are to continue to apply are set out in Appendix I. A set of overall goals are contained in the Strategic Statement released by the Government in December 1994 entitled “Science and Technology: The Way Forward”. They are now formally endorsed and are also set out in Appendix I.

Output Framework

Public good science and technology funding allocated by the Foundation (i.e. excluding non-specific output funding) is to be divided into 17 outputs for the period covered by this statement. The outputs are defined in Appendix II. Funding targets are set out below for each output. When considering proposals for funding, the Foundation is to ensure that proposals are categorised against the output or the mix of outputs which most accurately reflect the content and intent of the research set out in the proposal.

Where the most appropriate location of a programme is not clear from the application of the definitions, the Foundation shall determine the most appropriate location but will ensure that any precedents thus created are publicised to science providers, advised to the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology, and are then implemented consistently in regard to other programmes.

Funding Targets

This priority statement sets five year funding targets for that part of public good science and technology funding which is allocated by the Foundation, i.e. that funding described as “Public Good Science and Technology” in the Estimates. It excludes “Non-Specific Output Funding for Public Good Science and Technology”.

Because a precise overall funding level is not known for the fifth year, i.e. 2000/01, the present priority statement is based on a benchmark level of funding for that year which is $330 million. This benchmark is consistent with the funding announced in the 1995 Budget, and will be adjusted as and when necessary to conform with the content of future Budget announcements. Adjustment processes and criteria will be separately announced i.e. are not contained within this priority statement.

Appendix III sets out the funding targets for each of the 17 outputs for the year 2000/01, which together make up the benchmark total of $330 million.

The Foundation is to manage the allocation of funding, including the formulation of research strategies so that these targets are able to be smoothly achieved through the funding of relevant research of satisfactory scientific and/or technological merit.

Discretion in funding variations over the five year period

The Foundation should fund within the range of the 1995/96 funding and the 2000/2001 funding targets for each output in each year, given that research programmes which fulfill the funding criteria are available. The only circumstances in which funding within any output falls below the 1995/96 level shall be if insufficient proposals of adequate quality or relevance are available.

Cross-output Themes

There are goals, issues and principles which cannot be addressed satisfactorily in the context of single outputs, and which need to be given effect to over a range of outputs. A set of cross-output themes covering matters of this nature is laid out in Appendix IV.

The Foundation is required to develop a strategic statement covering each cross output theme. The requirements for these statements are detailed in Appendix V.

The list of cross-output themes set out in Appendix IV includes topics which are already or are likely to be the subject of National Science Strategies (NSSs). This list shall automatically be extended to include new NSS topics when these are formally approved and announced by the Minister.

National Science Strategies

The Government’s policy is to nominate areas of research as National Science Strategies (NSS) where these areas of research meet specified criteria. The two existing NSSs relate to climate change, and the control of possums and bovine tuberculosis.

The Foundation is to take account of the strategies produced by the National Science Strategy Committees when formulating output research strategies, strategic statements for cross-output themes and when selecting programmes for funding.

The Foundation is also to ensure that research included within the auspices of an NSS has separately identifiable and costed components either within research programmes or as separate programmes.

The Foundation is to report its expenditure on NSS-related programmes for each NSS topic after each funding round.

Development of Output Research Strategies

The Foundation is to develop long-term research strategies, covering research in each output.

The research strategies are a primary means of managing the allocation of funding over the five-year period so as to achieve the target funding levels in the most effective and productive way. Strategies are to be developed through a process of widespread consultation with science providers, users of research in each science area and the associated sectors.

A key consideration in developing research strategies should be the impact of funding from other sources, especially the private sector.

Output research strategies should be formally advised to me, as they become available and prior to their promulgation, in particular so that the Government can be assured that the implications of funding changes are well understood and can be effectively managed.

Detailed requirements for the development and