Commentary on Sections Research and innovation Section 105: Financial support for research and innovation
341.This section allows the Commission to provide funding to registered providers, specified in regulations, to carry out research and innovation. It is envisaged that the registered providers may be higher education institutions, further education institutions or other providers.
342.A registered provider receiving funding will be able to pass the funding to collaborating bodies in connection with the research and innovation with the Commission’s consent. This will allow the provider to work collaboratively with a broad range of partners that may be engaged in research and innovation. The registered provider will be accountable to the Commission for the expenditure of public funding and for accounting for funding which is passed on to a collaborating body. Section 108 contains procedures to be followed when the Commission is deciding whether or not to give consent.
343.The Commission can also make grants, loans or other payments to a person who is providing services for or in connection with research or innovation by a specified provider.
344.The Commission must when providing financial support, have regard to ensuring that it does not do anything which would discourage providers from seeking or maintaining funding from other sources (for example from industry, commerce, benefactors, alumni, UKRI, Horizon Europe or other eligible funding sources).
345.The Commission is also required, in exercising its research and innovation funding functions, to have regard to the desirability of maintaining any distinctive characteristics of any provider to which it provides financial support. It is a matter for the Commission to determine what it considers to be an appropriate balance of support in light of any other relevant considerations. Such characteristics may include, for example, the specialist nature of its provision.