Last Friday in Cambridge, the Chancellor delivered a seminal speech setting out his commitment to science, technology and innovation as central to the Government’s long term economic plan.
Last week’s budget has transformed the political landscape. The welfare cap, new savings and pensions freedoms and ‘NISA’s, have all been much commented on. So too other micro measures, like the very welcome continued investment in science and innovation for the innovation economy, and support for exports.
No change is ever easy. The front-page headline in The Daily Telegraph yesterday – “NHS admits new medical records database could pose privacy risk” – exemplifies broader worries over the latest developments in health care, which is undergoing a quiet revolution being driven by use of data.
The curse of Norman Lamont makes politicians wary of mentioning the “green shoots” of recovery. But when the data show growth of 0.4 per cent, 0.7 per cent and 0.8 per cent in the first three quarters of 2013, it’s clear.