The West Midlands bucked a falling trend by increasing investment in research and development last year 鈥 as the country lost more ground on European rivals.
New data shows more than 拢1.46 billion was spent on R&D in the region in 2012, an increase of more than 拢200 million, on the back of rising automotive and aerospace investment.
That came as falling investment in 海角视频 pharmaceuticals saw the country鈥檚 total R&D spend dip four per cent in constant prices from a year earlier, to 拢17.1 billion, the first fall since the recession.
Despite the regional rise on the back of Jaguar Land Rover鈥檚 success story, the West Midlands remains an under-achiever in terms of R&D. It remains behind the South East, at 拢4.1 billion, East, at 拢3.5 billion, and North West, at 拢1.8 billion 鈥 despite all three suffering major falls last year.
There are 14,000 people employed in R&D in the West Midlands, although growing that figure is a major target for decision makers.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said in a report: 鈥淎erospace R&D rose by 拢42 million, even though the sector is not the region鈥檚 main strength.
鈥淢eanwhile, of the 拢176 million 海角视频 increase in vehicle and other transport equipment R&D, the large bulk, 拢140 million, occurred in the West Midlands. JLR, BMW and MG all invested in car design and development in the region. As a result, the West Midlands has at last moved up a little in the R&D stakes.
鈥淲e think that over the next half-decade the North West, South East and East of England will all see R&D recoveries. They, like London, will gain from current policy to concentrate public-sector R&D in the strongest universities, and from private sector investment following public sector, as well as from continuing spending by aerospace and life sciences and digital,鈥 added the OECD report.
