Gross Expenditure on Research and Development
type: Dataset
description: Information on Scottish Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) and estimates of the four components of GERD: Business Enterprise (BERD), Higher Education (HERD), Government, which includes Research Councils (GovERD) and Private Non-Profit (PNP). We have put a pause on the updating of this series until more work can be carried out to quality assure the underlying source data. Scotland's Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) is taken from the annual Scottish Government (SG) GERD publication. GERD includes R&D undertaken by business enterprise (BERD). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) are leading a large-scale project to transform R&D statistics, which is still in progress. This includes an improved methodology for the estimation of BERD spend, which better accounts for small businesses. Further information on this was published by the ONS on 29 September 2022: [Comparison of ONS BERD with HMRC R&D tax credit statistics](https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/comparisonofhmrcresearchanddevelopmenttaxcreditstatisticstoonsbusinessenterpriseresearchanddevelopmentstatistics) and 22 November 2022: [Options for Transformation of BERD Statistics](https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/businessinnovation/articles/optionsfortransformationofbusinessenterpriseresearchanddevelopmentstatistics/2022-11-17). Due to these methodological changes, there is currently uncertainty over the robustness of the detailed breakdowns of the new BERD estimates, which includes the data for Scotland. More work is underway to further improve how the BERD statistics are compiled in the future, including the development of new sampling methods. The ONS have put a temporary pause on the National Statistics status of the detailed breakdowns of BERD until the methodological work is complete and there is more certainty on the quality of the sub-UK BERD data, and hence sub-UK GERD data. The National Statistics status of the Scottish Government (SG) GERD publica…
issued: 2026-08-13T10:13:55.028385
modified: 2026-08-13T10:15:34.915965
version notes: Revisions and corrections to this publication are dealt with in accordance with [the Scottish Government's published policy](https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-economics-statistics-revisions-policy/).
contact point: Kind
contact point: Organization
theme: Business, Enterprise and Energy
accuracy: Scotland's Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) is taken from the annual Scottish Government (SG) GERD publication. GERD includes R&D undertaken by business enterprise (BERD). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) are leading a large-scale project to transform R&D statistics, which is still in progress. This includes an improved methodology for the estimation of BERD spend, which better accounts for small businesses. Further information on this was published by the ONS on 29 September 2022: [Comparison of ONS BERD with HMRC R&D tax credit statistics](https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/comparisonofhmrcresearchanddevelopmenttaxcreditstatisticstoonsbusinessenterpriseresearchanddevelopmentstatistics) and 22 November 2022: [Options for Transformation of BERD Statistics](https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/businessinnovation/articles/optionsfortransformationofbusinessenterpriseresearchanddevelopmentstatistics/2022-11-17). Due to these methodological changes, there is currently uncertainty over the robustness of the detailed breakdowns of the new BERD estimates, which includes the data for Scotland. More work is underway to further improve how the BERD statistics are compiled in the future, including the development of new sampling methods. The ONS have put a temporary pause on the National Statistics status of the detailed breakdowns of BERD until the methodological work is complete and there is more certainty on the quality of the sub-UK BERD data, and hence sub-UK GERD data. The National Statistics status of the Scottish Government (SG) GERD publication has similarly been put on pause. More detail is available in the [GERD Scotland 2020 publication](https://www.gov.scot/publications/gross-expenditure-on-research-and-development-scotland-2020/), in the [GERD Scotland 2021 publication](https://www.gov.scot/publications/gross-expenditure-on-research-and-development-scotland-2021/), and in the latest [ONS GERD UK publication](https://www…
comment: Gross Expenditure on Research and Development in Scotland.
completeness: Further information on data sources, suitability and uses can be found [here](https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/researchanddevelopmentexpenditure/bulletins/ukgrossdomesticexpenditureonresearchanddevelopment/2021#measuring-the-data).
confidentiality: This dataset does not contain any sensitive or personal information.
consistency: Data can be used to look at trends over time. For comparisons with other UK regions and EU and OECD countries, please see the [GERD Scotland 2021 publication](https://www.gov.scot/publications/gross-expenditure-on-research-and-development-scotland-2021/).
geographical coverage: S92
license id: uk-ogl
next update: 2024-10-01
quality management: Gross Expenditure on Research and Development is an Official Statistics publication. It has been produced to the high professional standards set out in the [Code of Practice for Official Statistics](https://code.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/) and the [Pre-release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Order 2008](http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2008/399/pdfs/ssi_20080399_en.pdf) .
reference period: PeriodOfTime
  end date: 2019
  start date: 2001
timeliness: This dataset is normally updated annually, however we have put a pause on the updating of this series until more work can be carried out to quality assure the underlying source data.
uniqueness: Not assessed
update frequency: annual
validity: GERD is the measure most commonly used for international comparisons of R&D activity. It covers all R&D performed in the country concerned, irrespective of who pays for it, including funding from abroad. However, it excludes R&D performed abroad even if it is funded from the UK. More information is available [from the ONS GERD 2021 publication](https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/researchanddevelopmentexpenditure/bulletins/ukgrossdomesticexpenditureonresearchanddevelopment/2021#measuring-the-data).
will be updated: true

gross-expenditure-on-research-and-development.csv
type: Distribution
description: Data file for Gross Expenditure on Research and Development
format: CSV
issued: 2026-08-13T10:15:34.925967
modified: 2026-08-13T10:15:34.921638
table schema: Schema
  column: Column
    datatype: int
    name: DateCode
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: RD Expenditure Indicators
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: RD Performer
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: GeographyType
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: Measurement
  column: Column
    datatype: float
    name: Value
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: Units
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: GeographyName
  column: Column
    datatype: text
    name: GeographyCode
access URL: https://admin.data.gov.scot/resource/b04f95c2-cb71-49d9-8351-9cf5a5929991/download
comment: Gross Expenditure on Research and Development in Scotland.
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyName
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Value
  type: float
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyType
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: Units
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: RD Expenditure Indicators
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: RD Performer
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: DateCode
  type: int
dictionary: Column
  column: Measurement
  type: text
dictionary: Column
  column: GeographyCode
  type: text

Scottish Government
type: Agent

Business, Enterprise and Energy
type: Concept