The boss of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the public body which spends £8bn of taxpayer money each year on research and innovation in the UK, has warned the organisation faces "hard decisions" on funding future projects.
In an open letter, Ian Chapman said the government had told it to "focus and do fewer things better", which "will result in negative outcomes for some".
It represents a major reorganisation of the way Britain's scientific research and innovation is prioritised and funded with public money, and has angered many in the research community.
Chapman said the changes have not yet been finalised, but he expected them to be fully implemented by April 2027.
In a later briefing, he declined to explain how research projects would be selected in future.
