SCIENTISTS in York have welcomed a report highlighting the importance of the Innovation, Research and Technology sector's contribution to the national economy.

An independent study carried out by Oxford Economics showed the sector has tripled in size since 2006, with turnover increasing from £1.9 billion to £6.9 billion, and now contributes up to 2.6 per cent of the total UK GVA from 0.3 per cent of government spending.

The report was commissioned by Association for Innovation, Research and Technology Organisations (AIRTO), whose members include Fera at Sand Hutton near York.

More than 80 per cent of the turnover generated in the Innovation, Research and Technology sector originates from AIRTO members, with Fera leading on a number of projects.

Dr Patrick Bonnett, head of Strategic Partnerships at Fera, said: "I am delighted that the important contribution that organisations such as Fera make to the UK economy is recognised in this study of the IRT sector.

"The sector is a vital part of the UK’s innovation infrastructure, supporting job creation, economic growth and helping to make the UK a global hub for the commercial exploitation of innovation and research."

Fera is currently leading a new three million euro EU-funded project, investigating how insects can contribute to the growing demand for protein for animal feed.

The project was set up to improve land use efficiency and to reduce the environmental impact of waste in light of estimates indicating there will an extra three billion extra mouths to feed by 2050. The potential for the exploitation of insects as a source of valuable proteins has been recognized by scientists at Fera.

Sharing expertise in entomology and food safety, Fera is now leading the EU project called PROteINSECT that aims to facilitate the global exploitation of insects grown on organic waste as a source of animal feed and human nutrition.

The sustained growth of the Innovation, Research and Technology sector has the potential to significantly enhance UK productivity, according to the report.

Research suggests that every £1 spent in this area in recent years has generated, on average, £7 for the wider economy and that, more broadly, every £1 of public spending on Research and Development adds £4 to the value of market sector output.