Gross expenditure on research and development 2015

Scotland’s Chief Statistician today released Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) Scotland 2015.

The main findings are:

Scottish GERD was £2,150 million in 2015. In real terms this represents an increase of £23 million or 1.1 per cent since 2014.

In 2015, Scottish GERD was 1.46 per cent of GDP; compared to 1.95 per cent for the EU. The latest figures show that between 2014 and 2015 the gap, in total research and development spending as a percentage of GDP, between Scotland and the EU remained stable at 0.49 percentage points. 

The GERD figures for Scotland break down as follows:

• Higher Education R&D expenditure was £1,092 million in 2015, an increase of 3.3 per cent (£35 million) in real terms between 2014 and 2015
• Business Enterprise R&D expenditure was £871 million in 2015, a decrease of 1.0 per cent (£9 million) in real terms between 2014 and 2015
• Government expenditure on R&D was £155 million in 2015
• Private Non-Profit expenditure was £32 million in 2015. The figures released today were produced in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.   

Background

Gross expenditure on research and development 2015. This publication contains the most recent data for Gross Expenditure R&D (GERD) in 2015, and revised data for previous years.

GERD forms the basis of the National Indicator: Increase Research and Development Spending. This indicator is monitored via Scotland Performs.

Further information on Business statistics within Scotland.  

Official statistics are produced by professionally independent statistical staff – more information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland.