Defence Science and Technology Laboratory explained

Agency Name:Defence Science and Technology Laboratory
Formed:2 July 2001
Preceding1:Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
Jurisdiction:United Kingdom
Headquarters:Porton Down, Wiltshire
Employees:5,500
Chief1 Name:Paul Hollinshead
Parent Agency:Ministry of Defence

The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) is an executive agency of the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is "to maximise the impact of science and technology for the defence and security of the UK".[1] The agency is headed by Paul Hollinshead as its chief executive,[2] with the board being chaired by Adrian Belton.[3] Ministerial responsibility lies with the Minister for Defence Procurement.

History

Dstl was formed from the July 2001 split of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA). Dstl was established to carry out and retain the science and technology work that is best done within government,[4] while work that could be done by industry (forming the majority of DERA's activities) was transferred to Qinetiq, a government-owned company that was later floated on the stock exchange.

Dstl absorbed the Home Office's Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) in April 2018,[5] taking on CAST's role[6] to apply science and technology to support the Home Office's operations and frontline delivery, provide evidence to support policy, and perform certain regulatory functions.

Organisation

Most of Dstl's funding comes from the MOD, while a small portion comes from other government departments and commercial sources. In 2016/17, 91% of Dstl's £587 million income came from the MOD.[7]

In April 2015, Dstl completed a major reorganisation, merging twelve operating departments into five divisions. The motivation behind this change was to enable more coherent and productive delivery to customers and simplify access routes for suppliers.[8]

Leadership

Operations

Dstl carries out a broad range of work from high-level analysis to support Ministry of Defence policy and procurement decisions, to technical research in defence areas such as biomedical science and electronics, alongside operational work such as forensic analysis of explosives[17] and providing paid volunteer scientists to Iraq and Afghanistan to provide rapid scientific advice to British forces. It has done work for around 40 government departments and agencies including the Home Office and Department for Transport.[18] It undertakes research with both industry and academia to achieve its role.[19]

Following a review and consultation process initiated by MOD's Chief Scientific Advisor (CSA), it became responsible for the formulation and commission of MOD's non-nuclear research programme from 1 April 2010, under the responsibility of the Dstl Programme Office.[20] [21] Within the Programme Office were 16 domains[22] with some established as Science and Technology Centres, including Armour and Protection, Cyber and Influence, Counter Terrorism, and CBR (Chemical, Biological and Radiological).[23] These centres fund research via the Centre for Defence Enterprise,[24] also part of the Programme Office.[25]

A subsequent MOD CSA-led review in 2015 into MOD's science and technology capability recommended that the commissioning of science and technology should be independent of the delivery.[26]

Within the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015 was a proposal to create "a government-backed service designed to help small and medium-sized businesses bring new ideas to market more quickly".[27] In 2016, it was announced by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon that this 'Defence and Security Accelerator'[28] would have access to an £800m innovation fund and build on the 'Centre for Defence Enterprise' model, operating within Dstl.[29]

In 2017, Dstl began a five-year programme of innovation in space science.[30] In 2019, Dstl opened a new satellite ground control station at Portsdown West to support future space research.[31]

In March 2020, scientists from Dstl began supporting Public Health England to better understand COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[32] By January 2021, around 300 scientists were said to be involved with COVID-19 support.[33]

R-Cloud

Research Cloud (or R-Cloud) is the Dstl's supply chain marketplace for science and technology research.[34] Version 4 went live on 1 December 2020.[35] R-Cloud frameworks cover eight "capability areas":

Locations

Current sites include:[37]

Headquarters

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Portsdown West

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Alverstoke

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Newcastle

The former CAST sites at Langhurst, West Sussex and Sandridge, Hertfordshire were closed around 2020 after the 2018 merger of CAST into Dstl.

Sections of 150-millimetre-thick (5.9 in) pre-atomic steel plate uncontaminated with radionuclides, recovered from HMS Vanguard, were used for the shielding of the whole body monitor at the Radiobiological Research Laboratory (now Dstl) at Alverstoke, Gosport, Hampshire.[39]

Spin-offs

Ploughshare Innovations

In April 2005[40] the technology transfer company Ploughshare Innovations Ltd was formed to manage and exploit intellectual property within Dstl.[41] Dstl and Ploughshare Innovations have successfully spun-out several new companies including Alaska Food Diagnostics[42] and P2i Ltd.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: About us . Dstl . https://web.archive.org/web/20131021183240/https://www.dstl.gov.uk/aboutus . 21 October 2013 . dead . 16 February 2014.
  2. Web site: 26 April 2022 . Dr Paul Hollinshead, MBA, OBE . 26 April 2022 . UK Government.
  3. Web site: Dstl: membership. 2020-11-10. GOV.UK. en.
  4. Web site: Framework Document . November 2006 . Dstl . https://web.archive.org/web/20140222100131/https://www.dstl.gov.uk/downloads/framework.pdf . 22 February 2014 . dead.
  5. Web site: 24 April 2018. Centre for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) becomes part of Dstl. live. 2021-12-24. GOV.UK. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180424162916/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/centre-for-applied-science-and-technology-cast-becomes-part-of-dstl . 24 April 2018 .
  6. Book: Home Office Science: Centre for Applied Science and Technology: An Introduction . Home Office . 2016 . 978-1-78655-083-5 . United Kingdom . 3–4.
  7. Web site: Defence Science and Technology Laboratory annual report and accounts 2016 to 2017 . 3 May 2018.
  8. Web site: Annual Report and Accounts 2014/15 . 22 June 2015 . Defence Science and Technology Laboratory .
  9. News: Smith . Michael . Wanted: gadget wizard to replace the real life Q . 10 September 2020 . The Times . 16 July 2006.
  10. Web site: House of Commons – Defence – Minutes of Evidence . 2011 . parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20120829024416/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmdfence/84/6112802.htm. 29 August 2012 . dead . 12 June 2011.
  11. Web site: Press release: Heading up Defence Science – New Chief Executive appointed at Dstl . 16 August 2007 . dstl.gov.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20110928062654/http://www.dstl.gov.uk/downloads/15-08-07.pdf . 28 September 2011 .
  12. News: Interview: Frances Saunders | Education | The Guardian . Gilbert . Natasha . 20 November 2007 . . 12 June 2011 . London . 0261-3077 . 60623878.
  13. Global email to all staff dated 29/6/11
  14. News: Jonathan Lyle named as new Dstl Chief Executive . 16 February 2014 . GOV.UK.
  15. Web site: Gary Aitkenhead – GOV.UK . www.gov.uk . 4 May 2018.
  16. Web site: 30 November 2017. Defence Science and Technology Laboratory appoints new Chief Executive. 8 December 2017. GOV.UK.
  17. News: 'We've never seen a bomb like 21/7 devices' . Duncan . Gardham . . 11 July 2007 . London . 0307-1235 . 49632006 . 16 February 2014.
  18. Web site: Who we work with . Dstl . https://web.archive.org/web/20131021202026/https://www.dstl.gov.uk/whoweworkwith . 21 October 2013 . dead .
  19. Web site: Industry . Dstl . https://web.archive.org/web/20131021211618/https://www.dstl.gov.uk/industry . 21 October 2013 . dead .
  20. Web site: The Strategic Defence and Security Review and The National Security Strategy . publications.parliament.uk . 2011 . 12 June 2011.
  21. 19 March 2010 . Dstl to become the key focus of science and technology within MOD . . http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121026065214/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/DstlToBecomeTheKeyFocusOfScienceAndTechnologyWithinMod.htm . 26 October 2012 . 16 February 2014.
  22. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121106233608/http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/ukspaceagency/docs/space%20science/aurora/knowledge-exchange-april-2011/gibson-dstl-presentation.pdf National Archives (UK)
  23. Web site: Science and Technology Centres dstl Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. dstl.gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222100139/https://www.dstl.gov.uk/scienceandtechnologycentres. 22 February 2014.
  24. Web site: Centre for Defence Enterprise . . 16 February 2014.
  25. Web site: The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) . . 16 February 2014.
  26. Web site: A review of MOD's science and technology capability (Executive summary).
  27. Book: National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015: A Secure and Prosperous United Kingdom. November 2015. HM Government. 9781474125963.
  28. Web site: Defence and Security Accelerator – GOV.UK. www.gov.uk. en. 4 May 2018.
  29. Web site: Defence Innovation Initiative – Speeches. www.gov.uk. 16 September 2016 . 20 September 2016.
  30. Web site: Three...two…one…blast off! Dstl launches £50 million Space Programme. 4 October 2017. GOV.UK. en. 7 February 2018.
  31. News: Defence Secretary outlines future space programme . Royal Air Force . 18 July 2019 . 6 March 2021.
  32. News: Military stands up COVID Support Force . 12 August 2021 . . 19 March 2020.
  33. News: Covid-19: UK Dstl helps NHS to address vaccine related challenges . 12 August 2021 . Army Technology . 18 January 2021.
  34. Dstl, Access R-Cloud (Version 3.0), accessed 21 May 2021
  35. Dstl, Access R-Cloud (Version 4.0), accessed 21 May 2021
  36. Government Online, R-Cloud Framework Renewal – Ministry of Defence, published 6 February 2017, accessed 21 May 2021
  37. Web site: About us . 2024-07-09 . GOV.UK . en.
  38. Web site: Newcastle Helix . 2024-07-09 . newcastlehelix.com.
  39. Cowling. Giles. From Land, Sea and Air. dead. Defence Management Journal. 31. https://web.archive.org/web/20120225191422/http://www.defencemanagement.com/article.asp?id=200&content_name=National%20Security%20and%20Resilience&article=5132. 25 February 2012.
  40. Web site: House of Commons – Defence – Eighth Report . publications.parliament.uk . 2007 . 12 June 2011.
  41. Web site: Ploughshare Innovations – Intellectual Property Licensing for Dstl – Ploughshare . ploughshareinnovations.com . 2011 . 12 June 2011.
  42. News: MoD tries to turn swords into shares | Business | The Guardian . Heather. Stewart. . 4 May 2004. . . 0261-3077 . 60623878 . 12 June 2011.

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