AIRTO frequently offers, or is asked by government, business and other organisations, for its views on matters relating to the Innovation, Research & Technology sector.


The work of the Innovation, Research and Technology (IRT) sector is vital in helping to raise the productivity of UK companies and in connecting businesses, government and academia to the resources needed for the successful uptake of new technology. A report by Oxford Economics shows the sector has a combined turnover of £6.9bn and contributes £32-£36bn to UK GVA, supporting over 141,000 jobs.

Download the Oxford Economics report


AIRTO welcomes government’s pledge to protect science and research post-Brexit

We welcome additional funding to support UK participation in Horizon 2020, but we are calling on government to further leverage the Innovation, Research and Technology sector to boost our capacity to deliver R&D services for international industry.

Dowling Review

March 2015

The Effectiveness of EU Research and Innovation Proposals

House of Lords publish report into effectiveness of EU research and innovation proposals (April 2013)

‘Bridging the Valley of Death’

Parliamentary Inquiry highlights Government's need for coherent strategy to support UK's commercialisation of technological innovation (March 2013)

AIRTO submission to Science and Technology Select Committee

Call for Evidence on Public Procurement as a tool to Stimulate Innovation (Dec 2010)

AIRTO submission to Science and Technology Select Committee

Inquiry into Technology Innovation Centres
(November 2010)

Supporting Industrial Innovation in the UK

A view of Government Grant Assistance Schemes, (Past, Present and Future) by AIRTO (April 2010)

AIRTO response to Treasury’s Consultation

"Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014: Next Steps" (June 2006)

The Pension Protection Levy

Consultation Document July 2005 Response by airto

Innovation management processes for technology based knowledge transfer companies

Yhe impact of the results of the ESRC Innovation Programme (August 2001)

The contribution of Faraday Partnerships

To growth in innovation intensity in the UK economy (April 2001)

Increasing UK innovation intensity

The solution to the problem of knowledge transfer to business enterprise (August 2000)

AIRTO response to OST

Consultation on research in Europe after Framework 5 (August 2000)

AIRTO response to the DTI proposal

For a network of regional centres for manufacturing excellence and productivity (July 2000)

Summary of AIRTO recommendations

For a Science and Innovation Policy (June 2000)

AIRTO contribution to the debate

Leading to a possible White Paper on Science and Innovation Policy. Presented to the Minister for Science (December 1999)