Spain's new right-wing government has closed down the country's science ministry, a move researchers say will harm the country's scientific reputation.

Mariano Rajoy, leader of the newly elected People's Party that took power last month, pledged to reduce the number of ministries from 15 to 12 to save money and improve governance.

Responsibility for science and research will now fall to the ministry of economy and competition, Nature reported last week.

Researchers have expressed concern about the signal the action sends.

"Many of the countries ranking higher than Spain in research and development have a specialized ministry," Amaya Moro-Martín, a physicist at the Center for Astrobiology in Madrid, said.

Carlos Andradas, president of the Confederation of Spanish Scientific Societies, said the change of government "should not imply a break or a downgrading in promoting scientific research."

There may be benefits to placing the science portfolio within the influential ministry of economy that it is explicitly concerned with the country's development, he said, but added "we hope the effort to coordinate funding calls and tasks will not be lost."