Oral Answers to Questions

Feryal Clark Excerpts

Wednesday 16th October 2024 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Bonavia (Stevenage) (Lab)]

2. What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support the life sciences sector in Stevenage constituency.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Feryal Clark)]

My hon. Friend takes every opportunity to raise this subject. He will be happy to learn that the Government have a clear plan for supporting the life sciences sector, as set out in our life sciences plan. Stevenage has a thriving life sciences community: it is home to GSK, Autolus and a growing number of biotech companies. We are continuing to encourage companies to expand their footprint in the area, supported by the cell and gene therapy catapult, which operates the manufacturing innovation centre, and the skills and training laboratories.

[Kevin Bonavia]

I am proud that my constituency is a top location for life sciences companies to develop cutting-edge technologies. One of them, BioOrbit, which is hosted by Airbus Defence and Space in Stevenage through its small and medium-sized enterprises accelerator programme, is building a pharmaceuticals factory in space to leverage the benefits of microgravity for large-scale administration of cancer treatments. Another UK prime company, GSK, hosts more than 40 SMEs. Does my hon. Friend agree that we need to do all we can to support innovative SMEs in the life sciences and space sectors?

[Feryal Clark]

My hon. Friend rightly acknowledges that Stevenage is a leading hub for life sciences companies to develop and commercialise cutting-edge therapeutics. GSK and Airbus are shining examples of UK innovation at work. Earlier this week we published the industrial strategy Green Paper to drive long-term, sustainable, inclusive and secure growth, and to secure investment in crucial sectors of the economy, including life sciences. There is an opportunity to renew the UK’s leadership in life sciences through bold innovation and collective partnerships with the sector, to build an NHS that is fit for the future and to drive economic growth across the regions of the UK.

[Alison Griffiths (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) (Con)]

Following the successful investment in Rolls-Royce’s technology and logistics centre, what is the Minister doing to get more investment into my Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency?

[Mr Speaker]

I am not sure that Rolls-Royce fits into a question on life sciences. Does the Minister have an answer?

[Feryal Clark]

I thank the hon. Member for her question. She will have seen from the investment summit earlier this week that there is huge interest from a number of companies in investing in the UK, and there is huge support from this Government for those companies that wish to invest.

[Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)]

3. What steps his Department is taking to enhance mobile phone reception in the Bridgwater constituency.

--- Later in debate ---

[Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)]

T4. I know that the Minister shares the delight that many of us felt when it was announced that researchers from the UK-based AI company Google DeepMind are to share a Nobel prize for their work on protein folding, a technology that will help shape economies of the future. As founder of Labour Women in Tech, I want this technological growth to be diverse, so what are the Government doing to ensure both that the UK remains a global leader in this tech space and that my constituents in South Derbyshire are able to trust that this technology can and will benefit everyone?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Feryal Clark)]

I thank my hon. Friend for her question and for all the work that she does to encourage more women into tech. It is great to know that the tech world is full not just of “tech bros”, but quite a lot of tech sisters as well. We are committed to building on the UK’s success as a global AI leader, and the upcoming AI action plan demonstrates that commitment to ensure the safe development of AI models by introducing binding regulation on a handful of companies developing the most powerful AI systems, fostering trust in those technologies. We will also continue—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We are now moving to Prime Minister’s questions.