In what is terrible news for everyone, I find myself admiring the questions in the BEIS R&D Roadmap Survey (closing date tomorrow) beisgovuk.citizenspace.com/innovation/r-a… I’m going to exercise some self-restraint in tweeting, but the Alan Partridge of Incomprehensibility has been at it again
Apparently the UK is going to “push harder at the frontiers of knowledge” - wch sounds a bit like “making it up as we go along”. Also, my oh my, *this question*: "How can we best increase knowledge and understanding through research, including by achieving bigger breakthroughs?" 
The question writer obvs not a fan of cryptic clues. Q2 is similarly leading: "2. How can we maximise the economic, environmental and societal impact of research through effective application of new knowledge?” (Interesting approach to consultation.)
Q3 is better, but whoever wrote the intro text has not read their own intro text. The tl;dr is “we have loads of unicorns spending venture capital but somehow we’re not very innovative, WHY NOT?”. Is it because… backing unicorns unhelpfully concentrates money and opportunity?
Also whoever wrote Q4 may not have read Q3. "4. How can we attract, retain and develop talented and diverse people to R&D roles? How can we make R&D for everyone?” (Not sure about “retain diverse people to R&D roles”, but anyway.)
There’s actually quite a lot to unpick in what is also two completely different questions bundled together. Not sure about the terminology but I guess at least they’re asking.
For anyone with a bingo card at the ready, Q5 may as well be a full house: "How should we ensure that R&D plays its fullest role in levelling up all over the UK?"
Q6 is about being "at the forefront of global collaboration”, which rather suggests someone doesn’t know collaboration isn’t a race or a wrestling match but about co-operation and mutual support. Absolutely smashing bit of exceptionalism in the intro text.
Oh sorry, that is Q7. Q8 is rather sweet and touching, and is about inclusive innovation, so I’m going to go easy on the fact that “Harnessing excitement about our vision” (a) makes no sense and is (b) completely at odds with the question being asked
And that’s it. If you're minded to respond, you don’t have to answer every Q. Not long left on the clock, but worth thinking about submitting views about representation and inclusion in R&D, inclusive innovation and increased social impact. Not all the Qs need muscular answers.
And I completely omitted Q6 which is more reasonable. "6. How should we strengthen our research infrastructure and institutions in support of our vision?” (Although not sure the vision is that comprehensible, by ymmv.)
