Thank you John, we recognise that it will be difficult for some in the sector to engage on this issue. However, our work is not intended to be the whole solution, but a first step to try and encourage a different way of talking about immigration that is more emotionally resonant with the public.

UKRI’s budget - Over the four years 2026 to 2030, total funding for UKRI will be £38.6 billion. The annual budget in 2029/2030 will reach nearly £10 billion. Based on current inflation forecasts, the UKRI budget will be broadly flat in real terms across the later years of the review period.

As we also set out in our recent work on the barriers in the visa system for UK R&D organisations, high visa costs can be a decisive barrier and can make or break a leading researchers’ decisions to come to the UK.

www.sciencecampaign.org.uk/analysis-and...

CaSE has worked with our new public opinion research consortium to create a messaging guide for those who want to talk about researcher immigration in a way that can cut through the noise, bring the public along, and make the best possible case for better immigration policy.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in particular has seen major changes to its ministerial team, but shifts at other departments also hold potential consequences for major issues such as skilled immigration to the UK.