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••launching a review into how the government can strengthen its funding forpostgraduate research. This review will examine the balance between number and level ofresearch stipends to ensure that the UK’s offer remains internationally competitive••assessing, as part of this review, options to strengthen partnerships and cofundingbetween government, industry and charities. This will include increasedsupport for crowd-funding for wider research to attract investment from individual membersof society and business••introducing income-contingent loans of up to £25,000 to support PhDs andresearch-based masters degrees. These loans will be in addition to existing funding,and designed to minimise public subsidy. The government will work with research councils,universities and industry to examine how best to design them so that they complementexisting funding streams and continue to support the most excellent researchApprenticeship funding1.180 Apprenticeships equip people with the skills they need to compete in the labourmarket, and that employers need to grow their businesses. The government, through theintroduction of an Apprenticeship Voucher, will put employers in control of thegovernment funding for the training apprentices need. The new mechanism, which willbe developed and tested with employers and providers immediately and fully implemented from2017, will give employers the purchasing power to have an even greater say in the quality, valuefor money and relevance of the training that their apprentices receive. As confirmed at AutumnStatement 2013, the government and employers will make cash contributions towards the costof training for apprentices.Support for road hauliers1.181 The government will review the speed with which Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV)driving tests and driver medical assessments currently take place and will consideroptions to accelerate both in order to help address the shortage of qualified HGVdrivers. The government will also work with road haulage firms on an industry-led solution tothe driver shortage, including looking at the right level of access to, and funding support for,training.Supporting science and innovation1.182 Science and innovation are core drivers of economic growth, and the UK’s ability totransform its world-leading science base into new products, services and markets is criticalto increasing productivity, providing jobs, and improving societal wellbeing. That is why thegovernment has prioritised overall science funding throughout this Parliament (£4.6 billioneach year to 2015-16), and provided the longest commitment to capital investment in sciencefacilities of any Parliament (£1.1 billion per year, rising with inflation, between 2016 and2021). 931.183 The government has also increased its direct support to innovation – having raised theannual budget of Innovate UK from £360 million in 2010-11 to over £500 million in 2015-16 –and committed £845 million over 7 years to develop a network of Catapult centres to help bringinnovative ideas to market. 941.184 This Budget goes further, announcing that the government will commit £400million to 2020-21 for the next round of funding for cutting-edge scientificinfrastructure. This will be a competitive fund, based on scientific excellence, which seeks tolever industrial and charitable funds. The government welcomes exciting proposals from acrossthe UK that aim to push scientific boundaries and maximise scientific impact.93‘Spending Review 2010’, HM Treasury, October 2010 and ‘Spending Round 2013’, HM Treasury, June 201394Annual Report and Accounts, 2010-11’, Technology Strategy Board, May 2012Budget 201549