The “doom and gloom” being spread about the state of UK physics and the funding of research is unhelpful and paints an inaccurate picture, says Keith Mason.

The chief executive of the Science and Technology Facilities Council claims the likely fallout from its spending settlement has been exaggerated.

The Council, which looks after some of the largest science centres in Britain, is faced with programme cuts of £80m.

But Professor Mason says physics research is more than holding its own.

“We have had to constrain some investments (particularly in the particle physics and astronomy programme), we’ve had to restructure our in-house research effort and we’ve had to withdraw from some lower-priority activities - but our programme remains extremely competitive,” he told reporters.

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