FOI reference: FOI-2026-3548
You asked
I am writing to request aggregated management information already held by the Office for National Statistics from the Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) survey.
For the purposes of this request, "UK-owned" and "foreign-owned" refer to the ultimate ownership classification applied in the BERD survey microdata, specifically the field recording whether the ultimate controlling parent of the performing enterprise is registered in the United Kingdom or in another country, using whichever classification the ONS BERD survey applies at the point of data collection.
Question 1. For each survey year from 2019 to the most recent year for which processed data is held, please provide total business enterprise research and development expenditure (BERD) broken down by whether the performing enterprise is classified as UK-owned or foreign-owned.
Question 2. For the same period, please provide the same figures expressed as a percentage share of total BERD in each year.
We said
Thank you for your request.
Estimates of total business enterprise research and development (BERD) expenditure broken down by whether the performing enterprise is classified as UK-owned or foreign-owned are available in our Business enterprise research and development, UK datasets. The latest available data are in Table 15 of the 2024 dataset. This table shows the total values of expenditure on BERD performed in the UK and the values performed by UK-owned businesses. The data in the table can be used to derive the percentage shares.
Only the 2022 to 2024 periods are included in the 2024 dataset, because the BERD statistics have been redeveloped to improve the survey methodology used to produce BERD statistics. The 2022 period is the first available on the redeveloped basis, using the improved methodology.
Estimates of BERD expenditure performed by UK and foreign owned businesses are available for years prior to 2022 in our Business enterprise research and development, UK datasets. However, the estimates for periods prior to 2022 relate to BERD statistics published before the BERD redevelopment took place and are therefore not directly comparable with estimates from 2022 onwards. We therefore advise caution in any use of the estimates for periods prior to 2022.