Scientists are speaking up in debates over Brexit. So why is big business silent?

Academics are queuing up to make the case for staying in the EU. But almost all the larger R&D-intensive companies have kept their heads down. Why?

Science is a vital part of the UK's relationship with the rest of Europe. Some eighteen per cent of EU funding returned to the UK is for research. The UK is a net contributor to the EU across the board, but a net beneficiary in science. Businesses are responsible for around two-thirds of research and development (R&D) investment in the UK, with firms headquartered overseas making up half of that figure - by far the highest proportion among G7 countries.

Against that background, I expected business to have plenty to say during the recent inquiry into 'EU membership and UK science' by the House of Lords Committee on Science and Technology, for which I was the specialist advisor. Amidst lively exchanges between pro-leave and pro-remain campaign groups, the House of Lords conducted a calm analysis of the evidence on the scientific dimensions of the EU debate. Around eighty written submissions and thirty expert witnesses set out arguments and analysis.