Science cuts 'hit UK reputation'

A report looking into handling of the "funding crisis" in physics research has concluded that Britain has been left looking like an "unreliable" and "incompetent" partner for international science - reports the BBC.

The report, published by the House of Commons innovation, universities, science and skills committee, said that "urgent changes must be made".

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), which looks after some of the largest science centres in Britain, was faced with a deficit of £80m (less than five days worth of our net payments to the EU) after an unfavourable government spending review last year.

The council has had to try to reprioritise its spending but this has meant that some projects are now threatened with closure.

Facilities with an uncertain future include an upgrade to the iconic Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, the Daresbury National Laboratory and the UK infra-red telescope (Ukirt) - the world's largest telescope dedicated to infra-red astronomy, based in Hawaii.

The fate of these and nearly 30 other projects will be decided later in the year.