AbstractThe biggest gap in Britain's research and development (R&D) effort is the lack of any coherent policy for the conduct of strategic research. The nature of this problem is reviewed and two proposals are made to fill the gap.First, increased government funding for strategic research (though without accepting any contribution from the USA's Strategic Defense Initiative); second, the setting up of a Strategic Research Commission and a Strategic Research Executive linked to the Cabinet Office, to co-ordinate and commission strategic research.