Image: UK in Italy [CC BY 2.0], via Flickr
Former Conservative science minister to head team focused on getting emerging technologies to market quicker
David Willetts has been appointed as the first chair of the government’s Regulatory Innovation Office, which was launched in October last year in a bid to “cut red tape” stopping new technologies from coming to market.
Willetts, a Conservative former universities and science minister, said the RIO is “an exciting opportunity to shape regulatory approaches that empower new technologies”.
His appointment was announced today by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, which said the veteran science policymaker’s new role will include accelerating the rollout of drones and other autonomous vehicles. The RIO will also focus on three other priority fast-growing areas of technology: engineering biology, space and AI in healthcare, the department said.
Willetts, who sits in the House of Lords, said it is a “pivotal time” for the UK’s innovation landscape, and that he is looking forward to supporting the UK’s position as a “global leader” in science and technology.
‘Expertise and leadership’
As science minister from 2010 to 2014, Willetts secured £600 million in government support for high-potential sectors including space, synthetic biology and autonomous systems.
He currently chairs the UK Space Agency and is president of the Resolution Foundation, a think tank focused on improving living standards for low- to middle-income families.
Science secretary Peter Kyle said: “Lord Willetts brings the expertise and leadership experience that will be key to streamlining innovation and unapologetically unleash the innovation that we know can improve lives.”
Kyle added that the RIO “will be a central thread running through this government’s mission to improve lives, create jobs and drive the economic growth across the country that is central to our Plan for Change”.
View this article on Research Professional