Fiona Hall, Leader of the UK Liberal Democrat MEPs and European industry spokesperson, commented:
"This is an exciting time for the research community and for businesses up and down the country. Liberal Democrats have ensured that over £2.3bn will be allocated to small, innovative businesses, which provide the key to creating new skilled jobs and rebalancing the economy. We also pushed for simpler rules to reduce administrative costs and make it easier for smaller firms to apply for funding."
"Our world-beating universities and research centres take part in more EU-funded research projects than any other country in Europe. This £60bn package will ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of developing the technologies of the future, from discovering cures to deadly diseases to pioneering new forms of low-cost, sustainable transport and energy."
Dr Julian Huppert, Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge, added:
"Britain's future economy depends on innovation happening now. We are great beneficiaries from European research funding, which helps everything from blue skies research to translation.
"This decision will benefit us now and into the future, another great example of our gains from being in the EU. I am particularly pleased that small businesses will benefit - they are the dynamic powerhouses of our economy."
"Everyone wants to help with the cost of rising bills, which is why Liberal Democrats have cut income tax by £700 for working people. But Labour's plan is a promise that won't work.
"When they tried to fix prices in California it resulted in an electricity crisis and widespread blackouts. We can't risk the lights going out here too.
"Fixing prices in this way risks blackouts, jeopardises jobs and puts investment in clean, green technology in doubt."
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, Stephen Williams said:
"Labour have spent the last three years aggressively attacking the Coalition for raising VAT. Now they admit they won't reduce it. This is rank hypocrisy from a party that has no answers to the big questions of the day - how to fix the economy, create jobs and help people with the cost of living.
"Liberal Democrats have taken tough decisions in the national interest in order to clean up Labour's mess, and Labour has called us every name under the sun for doing so. They have been utterly shameless and deeply hypocritical."
The call came as one of six recommendations from Liberal Democrat President Tim Farron. He was responding to the public consultation instigated on Thursday 19 September by Ray Collins as part of his interim report into Labour's links with the unions.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg used his speech to Liberal Democrat conference to announce that all pupils at infant schools in England are to get free school lunches from September 2014, with equivalent funding for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In addition, disadvantaged students at sixth form colleges and further education colleges in England will also be eligible for free school meals also from next September. Money is also being provided for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, but as education is a devolved issue, it will be up to those running schools there to decide whether to spend the money on free lunches.
Liberal Democrats are committed to the principle that deaf people are entitled to identify with their own language and to have this respected, regardless of minority or majority language status.
Key proposals include:
The recognition of British Sign Language (BSL) as one of the UK's official languages
Achieving better awareness of information needs and services for BSL users, particularly in health, education and employment
The protection of the linguistic integrity of the language
The policy sets out proposals to ensure patients are treated by the best trained staff and to prevent abuse, bullying and harassment of home care staff and patients.
Key proposals include:
Ensuring staff training includes equality and diversity, interpersonal skills, dealing with dementia and customer care
Holding the Care Quality Commission to account for monitoring care and taking appropriate action when companies fail to meet standards
Ensuring local authorities commission care on the basis of outcomes, better care, improving people's mobility, improving their health and well-being, rather than the current 'race to the bottom' in which standards of care are inevitably compromised
