Rural affairs, food and environment research programme 2016 to 2022: evaluation report

This report presents the findings of an evaluation into the impact from the rural affairs, food and environment research programme 2016 to 2022.


Footnotes

1. The Scottish Government (2015): Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Research Strategy for 2016-22, accessed at: Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Research Strategy for 2016- 2021 on 5August 2022.

2. SEFARI, the Scottish Environment, Food and Agricultural Research Institutions, includes the six MRPs namely Hutton, BioSS, SRUC, Moredun, Rowett and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

3. The Scottish Government (2015): Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Research Strategy for 2016-22, accessed at: Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Research Strategy for 2016- 2021 on 5August 2022.

4. The Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh (RBGE) is also an MRP but was only involved in a small part of the Programme.

5. The James Hutton Institute hosts the National Soils Archive, with support from the Rural & Environment Science & Analytical Services (RESAS) Division of the Scottish Government.

6. SEFARI Gateway, accessed at: sefari-gateway on 5 August 2022.

7. SEFARI, About Us, accessed at: sefari-about-us on 5 August 2022.

8. HM Treasury (2020): Magenta Book, Central Government guidance on evaluation, March 2020, accessed at: government-the-magenta-book on 8 August 2022.

9. MacLeod, M.J., Hasan, M.R., Robb, D.H.F. et al. Quantifying greenhouse gas emissions from global aquaculture. Sci Rep 10, 11679 (2020), accessed at: Quantifying greenhouse gas emissions from global aquaculture on 9 January 2023.

10. SEFARI (2020): Spotlight on Strategic Research 2019-20, accessed at: Spotlight on Strategic Research 2019-20 on 9 January 2023.

11. SEFARI (2022): Strategic Research Programme, End of Programme Report, 2016-22.

12. James Hutton Institute (2022): Annual Report on Underpinning Capacity.

13. Moredun Research Institute (2020): Annual Report of Underpinning Capacity, April 2019-20.

14. Plant Health Centre (2022): About us, accessed at: planthealthcentre-about-us on 9 January 2023.

15. Plant Health Centre (2019): Centre of Expertise for Plant Health 18-month report.

16. Plant Health Centre (2021): Centre of Expertise for Plant Health Annual Report, April 2020 – March 2021.

17. Note that values do not sum to £279 million due to rounding to the nearest million.

18. ClimateXchange (2017): STEAM – Scottish Transport Energy Air pollution model, accessed at: climatexchange-steam-scottish-transport-energy-air-pollution-model on 12 January 2022.

19. The national innovation agency for the UK (see ukri-innovate-uk).

20. James Hutton Institute (2021): Annual Report on Underpinning Capacity 2021/22.

21. SRUC (2019): Strategic Research Programme 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2021, Underpinning Capacity Report 2018-19.

22. Moredun Research Institute (2019): Annual Report of Underpinning Capacity.

23. Edinburgh Research and Innovation (2013): Spin-out Support Guide, University of Edinburgh, accessed at: Edinburgh Research and Innovation-eri_spin-out_support_guide on 11 January 2022.

24. Note that only four spinouts are reported in 2016/17 data, but of the five reported in 2017/18 data, all were formed in 2015 or earlier. This suggests an omission in reporting rather than a new spinout.

25. HM Treasury (2022): The Green Book Central Government Guidance on appraisal and evaluation, accessed at: Green_Book_2022 on 18 May 2022

26. Scottish Government (2022): Type I, output, income, employment and GVA multipliers Scotland 1998-2019 and Scottish Government (2022): Type II, output, income, employment and GVA multipliers Scotland 1998-2019, accessed at: Type I, output, income, employment and GVA multipliers Scotland on 11 January 2022.

27. ONS (May 2022): Regional gross value added (balanced) per head and income components, accessed at: Regional gross value added (balanced) per head and income components on 11 January 2022.

28. The 2019 value for GVA per head for Scotland is £27,284, whilst that for 2020 is £26,572, likely reflecting a downturn due to the Covid-19 pandemic. GVA is therefore assumed to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2021.

29. James Hutton Institute (2022): Annual report on underpinning capacity 2021/22.

30. Data on company duration and number of staff at existing spin-outs is difficult to identify, but information from Companies House (government-organisations-companies-house) for existing spin-outs shows varying numbers of personnel listed with three directors for MycoNourish (incorporated 2018, so relatively new), four for 4D Pharma Research Ltd (incorporated 2008 but recent accounts show a considerable loss) and five for Wormvax Ltd (incorporated 2009, now listed as a dormant company). In their early years, spin-outs are assumed to be small, so staff numbers are assumed to equal the number of directors listed.

31. EPIC (2022): End of Programme Report 2016-22.

32. Moredun Research Institute (2017): Annual Report of Underpinning Capacity, The Moredun Research Institute, April 2016-March 2017

33. SEFARI (2022): Strategic Research Programme, End of Programme Report, 2016-22.

34. Jones, R O et al (2022): Spatial and temporal analysis of sheep scab notifications in Scotland, 2014–2019. Vet Record, Vol. 190, Issue 8, published in April 2022, accessed at: Spatial and temporal analysis of sheep scab notifications in Scotland, 2014–2019 on 9 February 2023.

35. APHA Inverness Field Services (2022): Sheep scab year end 2021- total notifications 120, accessed at: APHA Inverness Field Services (2022): Sheep scab year end 2021- total notifications 120 on 3 February 2023

36. BiGGAR Economics (2017): Economic Impact of the Strategic Research Programme 2011-2016, A report to the Scottish Government, August 2017.

37. Total costs of sheep scab given as £5.7 million per year. SRP supported research was assumed to reduce this cost by half, with 50% of the resultant figure attributed to the SRP.

38. Rowett Institute and BioSS (nd): Number Muncher Diets, accessed at: Number Muncher Diets on 13 January 2023.

39. National Records of Scotland (2020): Scotland's population, accessed at: National Records of Scotland (2020): Scotland's population on 13 January 2023.

40. JRS (nd): Food in Scotland Consumer Tracker Wave 10, accessed at Food in Scotland Consumer Tracker Wave 10 on 6 February 2023.

41. Macdiarmid, J. I., (2015): Eating like there's no tomorrow: Public awareness of the environmental impact of food and reluctance to eat less meat as part of a sustainable diet. Appetite, Vol. 96, pages 487-493, accessed at: Eating like there's no tomorrow: Public awareness of the environmental impact of food and reluctance to eat less meat as part of a sustainable diet on 6 February 2023.

42. BEIS (2021): Policy paper, Valuation of greenhouse gas emissions: for policy appraisal and evaluation, Published 2 September 2021, accessed at: Policy paper, Valuation of greenhouse gas emissions: for policy appraisal and evaluation on 13 January 2023.

43. Calculations use the central carbon values for 2023 onwards. Carbon values increase annually.

44. HACT (2021): Social Value Bank, accessed at: Social Value Bank on 12 January 2022.

45. For example, in 2016/17 there were 29.5 SRP funded PhDs to 264 SRP jobs, giving a ratio of 1 PhD to every 8.9 jobs. Applying this ratio to the 354 Programme jobs in 2016/17 results in an estimate of 40 PhDs that received support from the Programme in 2016/17.

46. Lynch, S., Sims, D. and Wespieser, K. (2015). A Literature Review of the Value of Vocational Qualifications, accessed at: A Literature Review of the Value of Vocational Qualifications on 12 January 2022.

47. Apprenticeships may take between one and five years (GOV.UK (2022): Become an apprentice, accessed at: Become an apprentice on 12 January 2022.

48. Georghiou, L. (2015): Value of Research, Policy Paper by the Research, Innovation, and Science Policy Experts (RISE), Report produced for the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission, accessed at: Value of Research, Policy Paper by the Research, Innovation, and Science Policy Experts on 12 January 2022.

49. For reference, should a 50% rate of return be experienced, this would result in benefits of £730 million (to two significant figures). This figure is not used since it is assumed it would double count with benefits monetised under other categories.

50. HM Treasury (2020): Magenta Book, Central Government guidance on evaluation, March 2020, accessed at: government-publications-the-magenta-book on 18 May 2022.

51. BiGGAR Economics (2017): Economic Impact of the Strategic Research Programme 2011-2016, A report to the Scottish Government, August 2017.

52. SEFARI (2022): Strategic Research Programme: End of Programme Report 2016-2022.

53. EPIC (2022): End of Programme Report 2016-2022.

54. EPIC (2022): EPIC Annual Report 2021/2022.

55. EPIC (2018): EPIC Annual Report 2017/2018.

56. Moredun (2021): Annual Report of Underpinning Capacity: The Moredun Institute April 2020- March 2021.

57. CREW (2015): Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems: A practical design and build guide for Scotland's farmers and landowners. Available at Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems: A practical design and build guide for Scotland's farmers and landowners on 11 January 2023.

58. The James Hutton Institute (2019): Annual Report on Underpinning Capacity 2018/19.

59. CXC (2022): ClimateXChange: Centre of Expertise on Climate Change: End of Programme Report 2016-22.

60. SEFARI (2019): Spotlight on SEFARI Strategic Research 2018-19, accessed at: Spotlight on SEFARI Strategic Research 2018-19 on 11 May 2022.

61. SRUC (2017): National Rural Mental Health Survey Scotland: Report of Key Findings. Available at National Rural Mental Health Survey Scotland on 11 January 2023.

62. Dynamic Coast. Available at dynamic-coast on 11 January 2023.

63. Scottish Government (2020): SEFARI: Analysis. Available at: Scottish Government (2020): SEFARI: Analysis on 15 November 2022.

Contact

Email: socialresearch@gov.scot

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