Asked by: Lord Lebedev (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what funding and infrastructure they have provided to ensure that the UK is a global leader in synthetic biology.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Since 2024, UK Research and Innovation are investing £100 million in six Engineering Biology Mission Hubs, and 22 Engineering Biology Mission Awards. These hubs and awards are driving engineering biology towards tangible, mission-orientated impacts.
In December 2025 Government announced it will invest £644 million in engineering biology, including £184 million to build and upgrade scale‑up infrastructure and £196 million in research and development. This investment will be underpinned by skills development through Doctoral Focal Awards in Engineering Biology delivered through UKRI.
Asked by: Lord Lebedev (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to encourage people skilled in AI research not to leave the UK to work elsewhere.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is taking decisive steps to attract and retain world-class AI researchers. We have expanded the Turing AI Pioneer Fellowships to build our expertise at home. We are also funding up to 100 Spärck AI scholarships for master’s degrees at leading UK universities, as part of the wider £187 million TechFirst digital skills programme.
To draw global talent, our new Turing AI Global Fellowships offer relocation packages for leading academics. These initiatives form part of a £1 billion AI R&D portfolio, which also includes doctoral training centres and research hubs – strengthening the UK’s research base and ensuring we remain a global leader in AI innovation.
Asked by: Lord Lebedev (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support and resources they plan to provide to support research and development for in vitro gametogenesis, and the wider reproductive technologies industry.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government, through UK Research and Innovation’s Medical Research Council (MRC), supports a broad range of biomedical research, including in reproductive health, developmental biology and genetics. MRC’s applicant-led funding opportunities are open to proposals within its remit. MRC also funds large-scale, challenge-led transformative research through its Institutes and Centres of Research Excellence. All research is subject to appropriate ethical review.