Britain's world-leading scientific facilities are at risk of severe cuts or even closure due to a £162 million funding crisis at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). The Diamond Light Source and ISIS Neutron and Muon Source in Oxfordshire, along with other national facilities at Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire, are facing potential reductions of up to 20% in their annual budgets.
Funding Shortfall and Cost Overruns
The STFC is grappling with soaring electricity and staff costs, as well as high foreign exchange rates for international collaborations like the Cern nuclear research laboratory. Managers have been instructed to find substantial savings to address the deficit by 2029-30. While the STFC aims to make most savings internally, some cuts are affecting research grants, prompting concerns from the scientific community.
Scientists Warn of 'Serious Damage'
Professor Brian Cox, a physicist and TV presenter at the University of Manchester, described the cuts as the "destruction of the future." Tom Grinyer, chief executive of the Institute of Physics, urged the government to "properly think through any reduction, fully consult the research community and slow down these once-in-a-generation changes to funding" to avoid "serious damage to the UK's scientific capability and international attractiveness."
Grinyer emphasized that facilities like Diamond and ISIS are "a crucial part of the UK's innovation and research infrastructure" and that "short term decisions taken now could have consequences that may be felt for decades."
Impact on Diamond Light Source
The Diamond Light Source, which functions as a giant microscope producing beams of light 10 billion times brighter than the sun, is facing cost savings of about 20%. Scientists expect reductions to impact the planned Diamond-II upgrade, which was intended to "cement the UK's place as a science superpower," according to former STFC executive chair Professor Mark Thomson.
Diamond's beamlines allow researchers to study materials in unprecedented detail, from the Covid virus to ancient Herculaneum scrolls. The facility serves hundreds of companies and thousands of scientists in the UK and abroad.
ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Under Pressure
The ISIS facility uses neutrons and muons to explore how materials work, supporting thousands of scientists and engineers studying pharmaceuticals, batteries, solar cells, and components for transportation. It has been operating at 80% capacity for two years due to existing cost pressures and has lost 10% of staff, most of whom have not been replaced.
Dr. Lucy Clark, chair of the UK Neutron Scattering Group, warned that losing instruments would mean "losing capability for whole sections of the research community." She noted that neutron scattering supports a broad community spanning physics, chemistry, materials science, engineering, and industry.
Potential Facility Closures
Professor John Womersley, former chief executive of the STFC, said facility closures are possible given the scale of the budget crisis. He cautioned that shutting a facility due to salaries and electricity costs could create an international impression about the UK's attitude to big science, which might take years to repair. "It seems like you're selling your second home because the price of milk has gone up," he said.
Dr. Andrew McCluskey, a senior lecturer at the University of Bristol who uses both Diamond and ISIS, emphasized the breadth of science conducted at these facilities. He warned that closing beamlines specialized in particular areas could leave the UK unprepared for future crises.
STFC Response
An STFC spokesperson stated that no decisions have been made regarding closures or mothballing of any facilities. The prioritisation exercise is ongoing, with decisions expected in the autumn. The spokesperson said the exercise aims to find efficiencies to make STFC financially sustainable.
